February Finishes !

 February was a variety of weather from big snow and minus 0 temps.. to 50 and thawing !

 During the big snow  I ordered garden catalogs and fabric flyers to wish for spring growth and bright colors,, even dreamed up a plan to redecorate the front room....  but the pic in the flyer did NOT match what the store had..  my inspiration is on hold for now... nutz

 Carson had a birthday !  a fistful of dollars took the prize over clothing,,,

 The Bonnie Hunter Mystery  of Quiltville.. has been in the works since Thanksgiving with a clue each week..

 ...I finally got it quilted.  I have a peave about quilting that doesn't Fit the quilt,,  the allover designs for some reason they are hard for me to conceive.
As busy as this quilt design is  that is what is called for ,, a big allover quilt stitch.. for ME to DO that I had to set the machine up . backwards,, backing fabric on top,, up sidedown,,  so I guess  even I can learn new tricks  LOLOL!

 Remember this from January..  the black got buggered up,, the sizes didn't follow my thinking.. my design in the ol head didnt come out the same... YOU know how that works ... LOLLL....... sooo Plan B...

  all the pretty batik strips were re cut, reassembled into a braid.    Now to get it quilted!

  These bright colors are all from the donated scrap box.. the pattern called Diappearing Four patch.

  The back side was pieced with common colors and quickly quilted with scraps of batting.  It is DONE and will be a Good Deed

  Last year about this time I was working on a challenge  from Nancy.. a  large bundle of batiks and told to DO something different.... I did

  the time has come to quilt it !   I'm watching pinterest for  finished quilts done by others.. I 've been practicing on the long arm and feeling braver.. so Its now marked.. Thread should arrive today...with some pics of others work beside me Ill make a go at it.

my sewing table was Emty !  Sunday it was time to  start something new... with the last bright one going so well , I thought to  do a country flavor.. with golds , greens,, copper.. toss in some odd size muslin strips from the scrap box.. and we will have a quilt. I stitched while watching hours of pretty dresses go by for the Oscars pre show...

 ... from a four patch to this....  This will also be  GoodDeed when finished

 The family  has  enough quilts ! Yes they Do !.. This year  I'll be sewing for GoodDeeds again.. Wounded Warriors..  Homes for Humanity,, Ronald McDonald hospital kids.. Any where I can find a need.

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** I'm taking in fabrics again.. **

clean your closets of excess quilting stash , of anything cotton.. sheets (for backing) ..  sewing scraps... pretty color men's shirts... as long as its cotton !

  I've bought  thread by the 5000yd spools ($50).  I'm collecting large size fabric for backing..

 I've purchased this monster roll of batting.. 66 yards ! ($80) 

  I've got the ideas ! I've got the time..  Just think how many good deeds can be done!



Christmas 2016 Quilt

  Thanksgiving weekend  was a big fabric sale,,,  I had sketched the design  tested out my assembly. Then went shopping !

 this method uses a large print and the repeats are layered and pinned together...

 ....of course I goofed.....let's call it  being creative...

 with stacks of  matching prints,  it's cut carefully...

  this is very cool  to watch it all come together  !

 .... each one has a different variation...

 . when the wind is howling and its -14 below I'm NOT going anywhere !  This is where I'll park la' butt .

  Remember the miss cut.............  ahemmmm  Creativity !

 Its not quilted yet,,, It is still  waiting for a bright idea moment......

JANUARY 2016 Finishes

  I'm Backkkkkkkkkkkkkkk !  so with the resolution to keep this blog up to date this year ,,, Here is  Januarys progress...


 I did the Bonnie Hunter quiltville mystery with instructions given every week till finished... its HUGE, she uses many many scraps and many many pieces.

  We got dolled up for a date  night,,,  that deserves a  new pic  !

 Christmas 2016 quilt was sketched and started..

  This was Plan A of a new quilt using batiks.. you sew big panels of color,,, then slice it up... when you  straighten the edge it makes a neat curve,, bargello style... then with each piece numbered  you re assemble.. for some reason my fabric buckled and bowed and ticked me off..  made me fuss,,,,,,,,,, sooooooo Onto Plan B.. I recut it all while Nancy was here and will do a braid with the  leftovers.........  gotta have a plan B ,, LOLL

  We've had a fair amount of snow to keep us  hibernating,,, and snooping TX reality and Park sites while the wind blows.... The RV looks sad  setting there  snowbound and the gate piled with snow.

 Our Deck and fencing is a work of art.

  Here's the combined finishes  of January.  The Christmas '16 is not quilted yet.  The Quiltville Mystery next in line to be  quilted. The pink and green is made of  upholstery and curtain samples, something new to work with! On the floor  are the Three batiks quilts made with  Hoffman International Fabrics they donated,  now  quilted and ready for use.

  and then there's a bit of quiet time....  sketching dreaming  of new color combos,   wishing for spring... Yet savoring the  hibernation and sewing time.......Cheeers ! my Dears !

2015 in review

 We left home in the RV Sept 28,2014  and stayed gone till  spring !

  Tim driving  w puppies on the couch.. down the road we went !

   Most of our stops were great we had an over night in KC w shell.. the next stop was Okla. city,  with that being locked up when we arrived.. we continued down the  road... as it got near dark  this was our last option ,,  10 hrs of driving was enough for Tim.. soo some where in South Okla. this rig is parked with 4 dogs tied up underneath,, the man n a dirty t-shirt,, the women in  dirty nighties, beer cans & dirty diapers etc. in the 'yard', They sat outside  to watch us park,, they sat there  ALL NITE.. ick.. I stayed up all night too while Tim slept... we left quite early the next morning

The following day we had a nice park with pool.. you can see our rig across the street

 And then we arrive at the TipOtexas Rv park,, exactly what it advertised !.. clean,  w 2 pools a very nice sewing room.. good people. a small town feel....

 While in Texas we did some sight seeing,, this is the Riverview Restaurant/dancehall. right on the river

 some where in our driving we saw many vegetable fields.. this one is cabbage

 ... and then back to the park and the pool !

 We did attend a big quilt show at a very nice  event complex with waterfalls,  fountains,, rows of palms..

 we did not go to mexico,, the one day we went they had helicopters and men w  guns walking around ,,,, we didn't stay long at that  crossing.

 somewhere near one of the crossings was a cheeepcheep  place that sold shoes,, for like $2 a pr,,  that was fun !

 another good spot was the pottery place.. they had  so much variety ..

  and neat Texas style furniture too,.. neat stuff. You would  have to have a texas style house to put it in.

 South Padre was a favorite spot. ... with a nice restaurants,, good margaritas,,

 .. then there was boca chica beach.. highway 4 from Brownsville,, the road literally stopped there in the sand !

 there was a small community there at one time,, its falling down now... sad... I believe there will be a space station  complex built nearby soon...

 the scrub, cactus. and  hoards of mosquitos amid sand dunes and swamp...

  the Space Station  starting in the distance

 scary rolling the windows down the bugs were after the blood .....

 and then the border checks.. dogs..  cameras from every angle.. opening trunks and containers,,,

 With the coming of spring we  headed north again..  up thru san Antonio, Elpaso. Fort Worth, Kansas city...

 There's no place like home !!

   I brought home 27 tops.. some were to the family , many were for good deeds

 I had a week of unlading the RV.. so many things to come in the house.. and it was spring time to get the garden in.. I ended up in the hospital .. twice for my foot. .. bringing on the need for a scooter...

 Henry really liked  my scooter.. 

  My pretty sunshine I brought home was hung in the basement near the long arm machine.

 we did some bike riding.. this day was to Nashua park with a picnic.. fun fun

  I managed to get to the basement w the bum foot and learn  the new to me longarm machine..

 somewhere between 3 diff hospital stays we managed to attend 2 fairs and watch the judging.

  My garden didn't grow as well with out attention but that ok because I was in no shape to can it.

  I acquired an antique Necchi machine  made in Italy.. After a bit of rewiring  it runs so nice!

 We painted the deck,  we put in new windows. New Garage door and opener  lots of house progress.

 Our grapes produced this year !

  I missed a big Machine quilting show while in the hospital,, bummer

  .. but did  attend the Des moines show.  Nothing of mine there but OHHH the ideas..

 ................ and the  fancy machine quilting..............

  Tim got his nose fixed. That went  better than we expected.

  I had an exhibit at the MacNider Museum

  I got noticed by the  International Hoffman Fabric Company

  and made 3 batik quilts from their donation.

 We had Thanksgiving with puppies

 the Family Christmas was in a hotel with over 25 of us there!

 I'm hoping with the new year 2016 here I can  up date this more often  I will try NOT do such a cobbled up Over view..  !!

The Quilting end was productive with : 3 auctioned, 6 soldier, 3 personal soldiers, 11 family, 7 sent to Poland, 6 sent back to Tx. 12 donated while still in TX.
 .,......... I will still take YOUR Fabric donations and put them to good use............

Now lets see what 2016 accomplishes !