Plans for Today

I am not one to plan to far ahead. I just go with the flow. But today I hope to get some quilting done. Yesterday I ran some errands for Lionel.

I have been working on some letters this morning to make a wall hanging. I am going to try to learn a little about spacing letters with my embroidery machine. As you saw in my last post, I didn't do to well. This time I am printing out a template of each letter and placing it on the material and going to mark each letter to where it should go. Now getting it placed in the hoop is another story. We will just have to see when it is sewn out.

It's been a WEEK

I can't believe it has been a week since last blog. My! how time passes! I guess the Holiday slowed me down. I had more problems with my machine. Went today and got another one. I hope to get caught up now. Haven't done much sewing. Yesterday I put another border on a quilt and tried some embroidery. I am just not good at spacing my letters. I guess I need practice, practice, practice. Now how could I get off that much in spacing? Leave it to me, I can do it.

Quilt Guild

Today was Quilt Guild party time. I wasn't going this morning because of the cold weather Yesterday I started having a sinus headache and didn't want it to get worse. But Alma called and encouraged me to go and I talked to Marie and she encouraged me. So I braved the cold weather. I hadn't gotten a turkey for Christmas dinner yet. I got all that taken care of. We made a Yo Yo Santa which you can see hanging on my gift from Gloria which is the spool holder. My Santa has one leg longer than the other. He looks like he is stepping high. A friend at church had given me the thread and I didn't have anywhere to put it, so this came in really handy. Also, we exchanged pin cushions, which you can see the one I got hanging on the left side of the spools made by Marie. Marie got the one that I had taken. I had cheated and bought mine at the Sewing Center. You can also see two pillow cases hand made for me from Stephanie. She does a Great Job with hand stitching.

Friday's Accomplishments

On Friday, I got up and started quilting Martha's quilt. Monica called to see if I was going to the Annual Homemaker Party at 5:30pm. I had forgotten all about that party. I was so glad she called early cause I had a lot to get done. She had just gotten off work for Ambulance Service and had about 45 minute drive to come home. She stopped to get ingredients for making fudge on her way home. By the time she got here I had wrapped gifts for family get together on Saturday and washed clothes. I had also made a peach cobbler and the cranberry salad to take to Homemaker party. I had the kettle and measuring cups, etc. set out for her to get started. She made 4 batches of fudge before we went to the party. I just couldn't get over how well things went. I went to pick up some more chocolate chips while she made a batch so she could make some for us. It sure has come in handy. I had something to take to Homemaker party, Family gathering and Quilt Guild today. Each year this is what she does for gift giving. I enjoyed the day with her.

Thursdays List

On Wednesday after I had finished Stephanie's Team Quilt I saw this wall hanging laying on the shelf beside the quilt frame and decided to quilt one of my own. I finished the binding and putting the sleeve on Thursday. Very disappointed in the way the binding turned out. It is cut on the bias and went on straight but looks curly after it is hung. I don't know if it would look better if it was washed or not. Has anyone ever had this happen to them? I would like to know what I did wrong.

Another Team Quilt

Finished another Team Quilt for Stephanie last night. She bought 100% Egyptian cotton for backing and Dream cotton batting. It makes the quilt so soft, even the top.

Jar Wallhanging

This is what I have been working on today.

Embroidered Baby Quilt

I am back to quilting again. Haven't gotten my machine back but Dealer loaned me one. Got the Embroidered Baby Quilt done tonight after Homemaker Christmas Party. I got it quilted this afternoon and sewed the binding on it tonight. I had the binding cut and pressed. This one is for Judy Walker. She wanted it stippled close. It amazes me how these quilts look when they are in the frame and after they are taken off. They just seem to come to life. I used light yellow thread on this and was so worried it didn't look right on the back but it blends in better than any other colors I could have used.

Another Top

I have been working on a top that I started in the summer. I had quilted one like this for Joanne and liked it so well I thought I would do one for myself. I had a couple of rows completed. Well it was going good till I got to quilting and sort of layed it aside. I finished this yesterday. Now my problem is getting enough for the border to complete it. I am doing this from the fabric I got at a yard sale this summer. They are no way buying the blue for the border as that is what I would like for it. I will come up with something.

I haven't been quilting because my machine is still in the shop. I have had this machine in the shop so many times. Got it in January of this year and the hook race is all the time getting a burr on it. It has been polished a number of times and completely replaced once and now again. I do not recommend the Janome 1600P if they are all like mine. It cost enough till you would think it would last 25 years. I have other Janome's that have gave me good service but this one is a lemon.

Sue's Son's Quilt

I did't have time to post last week or didn't take time to post. Martha and I went to Guhl's in Jackson to get material on Wednesday. Of course, when we go we call it a day and never get in a hurry. We stopped at The Tea Caddy. It is a neat place. It would be a good place to book a tea party for the guild members or homemakers.

Also finished a quilt another quilt for Sue before we went but didn't get the binding on till Saturday. After I finished her quilt I put a baby quilt in the frame and the thread started breaking after sewing a short distance. It kept breaking for the whole row. As we were on our way to Jackson we dropped my machine off at the shop. Don't know how long it will take to be fixed but no quilting till then unless I decide to do it on another machine. I don't have another machine that will work with my frame. I have 2 large quilt, baby quilt, and two wall hangings to be quilted.

Rag Quilt

I have had this quilt laying on bed in basement for probably two months now. It was started a few months back. I bought this for my granddaughter to learn to quilt. We worked on it maybe a couple of times. First we sandwiched the blocks together with the square of batting. Next I started embridering designs on it and when she came she would sew around them. Well, she started in school and got so busy with the band that she didn't have time to work on it. I thought I should finish it for her before she grew up. Now it is together and I will cut around the blocks as I take breaks. At least it is together. Now I will be anxious to wash it so I am sure I will be cutting every chance I get.

Redwork Baby Quilt

I quilted a baby quilt tonight and put the binding on it. This one has closer stippling than normal. Took twice the thread for this one and twice the time. I don't think I could do a large one with this small stippling very fast. I have a large quilt to do and I will be caught up unless someone brings another one. I can get to piecing some I got started or quilting some I have ready.

Accomplishments this week

I feel I have accomplished a little in a weeks time. I have quilted 5 large quilts and 3 crib size and put binding on all of them but one. It has been the best quilting week since I got my machine in January of this year. Yesterday I quilted two crib size quilts, put binding on them and also put binding on the large quilt I finished the day before. I hate to say it has taken me a year to learn this machine. I am looking forward to more weeks like this one. I'm not saying it was done fast because it took long hours to accomplish each quilt.

Sampler

This is a Sampler quilt for Pam Ward. I finished quilting tonight around 11:30pm. This is a beautiful quilt. It looks like a fun quilt to put together and I would like to make one. I don't know the name of a lot of these quilts cause they are for someone else. Will put the binding on it tomorrow. It is already cut, folded and pressed. I most always cut the binding for these quilts as soon as I get them. That way I will have it ready to put on as soon as the quilt comes off the frame.

Bugs Crib Quilt

Today I thought I would quilt a smaller quilt although I got two large ones in line. I quilted this Crib quilt for Phyllis. It is for her granddaughter. She said she had told her daughter she had made her a quilt and the kid has continually asking about it. I think she said she was about 4 years old. I thought since it don't take as long I would put it in and quilt it and have time left for something else. Well I had time to get one of the larger ones in the frame to start on in the morning.

Appliqued Rose

Got another one quilted and binding on it. This is a hand appliqued Rose. This one is for Barbara Cassidy. The stitching is great on it. If you notice, it doesn't have a border on the ends of the quilt. This is the first one that I have seen like this.

Basketball

Another one down and 5 to go. I quilted this for Stephanie, our FCS Extension Agent. She made this for her neice that played basketball in high school and now at college. This is the softest quilt I have quilted. She ordered the backing from Nancy's Notions. It is 100% Egyptian Cotton.

Cross-Stitch Fan

I just finished quilting the cross stich quilt for Aviatine Williams. And putting on the binding by machine. I just can't imagine how long it took to do all these 30 blocks. This quilt has more stitches than any quilt I have quilted. I just wonder how many shanks of embroidery floss it took. Wow!

Missing Quilt

Wow! I just noticed I had quilted one that I hadn't posted yet. I am falling behind. I also have a webpage that I post to as I finish each quilt. Also have some listed that I have to quilt. All these are listed at the bottom of the page. I've been doing to much lately to keep up. Worked last week at extension office cause two of the girls were off sick all week. I didn't quilt any. I did hem 2 pairs of paints on Friday, one for husband and one for daughter. My machines got a vacation. Yesterday, I went to quilt guild meeting at 10:00am and Homemakers Thanksgiving Dinner at 6:30pm. Today I will be quilting. Here is a Christmas Quilt I quilted 11/9 for Barbara Cassidy.

Another Teacher's Pet

Finished the binding today on Phyllis's Teacher's Pet.

Where Have I Been? QUILTING

Tuesday I had a Dr. appointment in Huntington and Martha went with me. She took the quilt in Dr. office and sewed binding till I was ready to go. After that we went to WV Quilts and this is the material I bought.

This is the mystery quilt Myrt made in Quilt Guild. I quilted it and it is ready for her to put binding on it.

And on Monday I stopped by to get a top to quilt for Phyllis. I quilted it yesterday evening after quilting Myrt's Wall hanging. I already had Myrt's on the frame from the night before and had a couple of lines sewn on it.

Today I put Barbara's Christmas Quilt in the frame and quilted it. I have the binding ready to sew on it. I am going to have lots of binding to sew by hand. I figure I will have something to keep me busy in between quilting, while I am taking a break. I hope I can get a better picture of some of these. Some are not very good.

Fastest Ever

I quilted this quilt the fastest I ever did one. Today, Martha brought this quilt to Guild Meeting. I brought it home in afternoon and quilted it this evening and sewed the binding on it. I took the photo before putting the binding on it. She is going to work on the binding as she goes with me to Huntington tomorrow. She needs it for a wedding gift on Saturday.

Lap Throw

This is a lap throw that I quilted for Lillian. It was only 44 X 80". Her son's grilfriend had this throw and I think they said it was either her grandmother's or great-grandmother's. Her boyfriend wanted it quilted for her for Christmas and he sneaked it out of the house without her knowing about it to have it quilted. She didn't want any borders or anything added to it. I sure hope she is pleased with it. I don't know if I will hear whether she is pleased or not. It has all kinds of different material in it. It has blue jean, t-shirt knit, sweater knit, cordory and others. I sure took a chance quilting this one. I first started and sewed about 6 inches and had thread breakage. I immediately thought this would be trouble. I didn't like the color of thread so I picked it out and started again. Throughout the quilt I didn't have 3 or 4 breakages which wasn't bad at all. Now I can say I have quilted most different fabrics on this machine.

Pat's Sampler

I got the binding done on Pat's Sampler. Gretta is keeping me busy quilting. I thought I was caught up with having the last one on the frame and finishing the binding on lap throw. Well, this afternoon one she brought me 4 large ones from the ladies at her quilt guild. They all want them quilted and binding on each. I always hand bind them unless they use sheets for the backing.

Ina's UK Quilts & Pillow Shams

This is what I have been doing this week. I have quilted a full and half size UK quilt and 3 Pillow Shams for Ina. Just finished last night. I was pleased with the turn out. Quilting went well. I had anticipated problems cause they were double thickness in place and also heavy fabric but all went well. I put all 3 Shams on the machine at once. Each row I would have to break thread and start again on the next one. The foot would go underneath the next sham is the reason for this, but that was easier than doing them seperate. I am going to the Extension office this morning to help with the fund raiser. Ina will pick the quilts up after I get home and call her. I also quilted a small sampler for Pat but have to hand sew half of the binding yet. This has been a productive week. I have quilted 66 quilts on my Quilt Frame since I got it in January 2008. Needless to say not many have been my own.

Braide

Got this one finished Sunday night and didn't get around to getting it uploaded. Gretta came and got it Monday. Gretta is in a guild in Martin County. She goes to her brothers quite often and brings quilts for the girls for me to quilt. I am getting quite a few quilts in at one time now. I guess everyone is getting ready for Christmas since that time of year is getting near. I just love to see what others have done. Of course, each quilt I quilt I think some day I will do one like it.

Annual Area Homemakers Meeting

Friday, Oct. 24, 2008, was our Annual Homemakers Meeting held at Greenbo Lake State Resort Park. They were about 18 from our county that attended. We all had a Great Time! Our speaker was EllyenAnne Geisel from Pueblo, Colorado. She is called the Apron Lady after being the author of The Apron Book. She put on a very good show. She showed lots of aprons she had collected during the years of 1999 to the present and told stories of each apron and how she became addicted to aprons. I think the aprons to her as quilts are to us quilters, just can't think nothing else. A friend had gotten me one of her books a couple of years ago and I took it with me to have EllynAnne to sign it. The book means a lot to me not only because she signed it but mostly that Stephanie got it for me. Some of us took our Cutural Arts items that won first place at the county in March. They were about 8 of the girls won first place on some of their items. I had about 4 items and all ranked from 2nd and 3rd place. I encourage each one that can to join the Homemaker group in your area. Just call your Extension agent to find out the dates to meet. We learn so much that we can pass on to others.

Embroidered Birds

This quilt is hand embroidered Birds and contains 25 blocks. This was well done, couldn't hardly tell it was hand done. The stitching is so close together. It has taken so much time to hand embroider these blocks. I can't imagine the time that it took to make the top. Gretta brought this for me to quilt for someone she knows.

My First Stippling

Today I ran across this sample of stippling. This is what I did in my first stippling class. I had no idea in my head where to turn of whatever. It was really hard for me. I am not artistic at all. I always thought that anyone that has art skills could stipple really well.

Look what a mess I did with the back! I've not gotten any quilting done this week. Just started putting one in the frame this evening and didn't even finish getting the backing on the frame. I guess they will be another day.

Remember Gowns made for Premiees

Remember the little Gowns and little quilts I made for my daughter's freinds grandbabies? They were born JULY 6TH weighing 2# 12 OZS and 2# 7 OZS. Well, now Grace weighs 6# 11oz and Aubrey 5# 14oz and here is a picture of them in the gowns and laying on the little quilts. Aren't they so pretty! They look like little dolls. They now weigh what about what they should have at birth. Won't be long the quilts will have to be used for burp pads or bath pads.

Bear Quilt

I finally got the binding finished on Sue's Bear Quilt. I have been so busy that it has taken 3 days for me to get it done. This one is so soft and has not been washed. It is so warm and comfortable.

I doubt if some of you girls have seen this Ghost quilt. We made these with the quilt guild about three years ago. It was done as a mystery quilt. Sandy made the kits for us and gave the materail and had us to make the blocks. Next meeting she told us how they went together and that solved the mystery. We all had much fun doing this quilt. I would never have made it if I had known what it was but now I just love it. I hang it each year.

Completed Two

Got two quilted with bindings and another one about finished, just have to sew the binding. The first one is called "Teacher's Pet" and the second one I don't know the name of it. I quilted them for Phyllis.

Sue's Maroon Jelly Roll

Finished the binding on Sue's Maroon Jelly Roll Quilt this morning. This is a very warm quilt. While binding it I stayed very warm during these chilly days. She says she has 2 more to make for her family and she is done quilting. We will see. She is such nice lady. I like quilting for her.

Orange Pumpkin

This one is an orange one. Hubby said the other one was pretty but he thought pumpkins were orange. I made an orange one this time. These are just so easy to make. Don't take much to make them either. Believe it or not, I had a time finding scraps to stuff this one. You would think with me quilting I would have all kinds but I throw away all the small pieces and give the customers back their left over batting. I was about to tear into a pillow to get enough to stuff it.

Patchwork Pumpkin

Here's the latest! This evening I made one of the Patchwork Pumpkins they did at Camp Caleb. Had much fun doing this. It went together well. Seams matched well on top and bottom of pumpkin. I had not expected it to be so easy.