Getting ready for Christmas

I had to move my sewing machine today. Which is the start of putting up Christmas. My whole sewing room is actually just a spot at the end of my living room right in front of the picture window. Of course we put the tree right in front of that big picture window every year since we moved here 15 years ago. I do not mind moving my sewing machine and ironing board to make room, but then my poor dinning room gets really crowded. So the shifting of furniture and rearranging has started and with any luck I will have everything unpacked and in place by the weekend to come.

With my class starting last week I have had hardly anytime to sew. I did go to a quilt store yesterday though and of course picked up a couple cool quilt kits. One is a table runner by Sandra G. and the other one is a small Santa. I hope to have time just to think and maybe make some cookies. Then if there was extra time sew something together. It is always tough having classes go right up to Christmas, there is so much that just does not get done because of the studying but I know that when I'm done it will be worth the inconvenience.

Quilt top done

I finished piecing the monkey quilt top today. I have been fighting a neck ache that has been causing me a very painful migraine. I hope everything straightens up so I can get my monkeys quilted.

I have managed to also get a few small Christmas presents made this week. I still have a ways to go but its a start. I have been struggling to get in the holiday spirit. With so many changes in the house it really is tough to put on a smile and act like nothing has happened. But as my husband says we need to still continue on because we do still have someone who relys on us to provide her a great holiday. Memories are made by family activities, so I will try my best to get over my bahumbug mood.

Hi ho Hi ho its back to school I go

After taking a much needed month off of school I had to go back on Tuesday. I came to find out that I was not the only person who struggled with their last class and also needed the extra time off. There was two previous classmates that I had in my class on Tuesday, along with a few classmates from the class before. The consensus was that Programming II was the toughest class we have had to date in attempts to get our bachelor's. Thus all of us took two to four weeks off to recover and recuperate; so our brains had a chance to find a new normal instead of stressing over Java language. It was good to find I was not alone in the brain dead frustration of that last class.

So its back to school, to learn and in attempts to make something of myself.

My starter block

A group of quilters from my local quilt guild decided to start a round robin. One of our members then moved to Wisconsin; so it will now be a traveling robin; then her daughter wanted to join in on the fun. We bounced around ideas and decided to go with the grid idea from Pat’s Book “It’s Your Turn!”. I like birdhouses and just love butterflies. Butterflies I learned from my mother-in-laws funeral are a symbol of eternal life. I never knew that before the funeral; but now the awe and love of butterflies is even stronger. My grandma also loved butterflies which is what started to appreciate them when I would go hunting for a butterfly for a present.

Back to the grid. The only request for my quilt is that there is a butterfly or butterflies somewhere on the block added to the grid. I managed to finish the block shortly before guild tonight so that I could give it to the next person on the list. I have never been involved in a round robin before so I hope this one goes good.

Weekend in Review

I got a chance to make the charm bag using Sandy Garvis line called Holly Jolly. I started it lastnight and finished it this morning. It did not take long at all to make. I used the pattern from McCalls Quilting August 2007 issue and tweeked it by adding an inside pocket and putting a snap on the outside pocket so my cell phone will not fall out of it.

I mentioned a pattern that uses charm squares and a Jelly roll its called Butter charms and Jelly. I used the MonekyNRound that I got when I took my birthday quilting shopping trip to Lincoln. I started the quilt on Saturday morning and have just a little more to go and the top is done. Here is the start of the quilt making four patches. Then I had to trim them down. There was only 12 blocks so did not take long. Then added strips around the four patches and sewed them together. Then added the inside border. I have the top and bottom outside border ready to sew on then that just leaves the other two side borders. I hope to get this all finished tomorrow.

Oh lastweek Pat Sloan posted the new farmers Market block and I whipped it out using the extra large yo-yo maker. This block was so much fun and easy to do.

Sewing Sunday

I managed to get two quilt tops finished today. I got the Scaredy Cat charms on the Oct. 25 and decided to just sew it together. Then on Tuesday Oct. 3o I found the blue border I needed to pull every thing together. This other quilt top is from April Cornell's line called Decadent Victorian. I used a cool idea that I got from Wendy’s blog. Of course right after the picture was taken Sadie attacked the little pink foot that was hiding behind the quilt.


I have decided that I need to find the local Charms anonymous group. I really seem to have an addiction to these little 5" cuties. But they are so much fun to play with and yet make something usable for the family. Before I give up this addiction I better put together the other 12 charm packs I have left. Some of the charms I plan on making some bags with.

Sewing Saturday

I only got to fix the crooked lines and cut the next pieces for the quilt top. I decided it was time to start teaching Samantha how a quilt goes together. She is so proud of her master piece and I am too. The only fixing I did though was when the seem allowance was to narrow and I was afraid it would fall apart. There was one spot whe had that was so wonky that she begged me to help her frog stitch it, so she could restitch it. What a trooper we started at 9 this morning and by 4 this afternoon it was completed. I thought she would get tired or bored after a couple of hours, but no she needed to get this one done so she could start on the charity dolly quilt for my guild who donates them for Christmas of sharing. She is a true gem of a kid.

This started out a misc. blocks that we cut to the same size. She laid them out just like she wanted.We were ready to put on the last border. Then decided to add the red candy cane print all the way around the top. It was a great Idea to use the red all around the quilt. It sure made the blocks stand out better.

As you can tell she is very proud of her hard work for the day. Now I have to find time to quilt this so she can use it. So I was not allowed to do my personal sewing but her smile and attitude sure was worth the time given to help her learn the beginnings of quilting.

Under the weather

I seem to have managed to catch a cold, sinus gunk. Not sure which but it sure has put my head in a fog. So decided to take a longer break from school to give myself longer to get things done and now to get feeling better.