Getting stuff done

I'm happy to say, I'm getting stuff done. I don't know where the time has gone, but at least I'm doing something other than games on the computer.

Last week I had two different quilt group meeting.

Wednesday Rose came by and we spent the day working on the bags she got me started on in April or May. She cut out the pattern for a couple more for herself, and I worked on the two I had that needed to be finished. I got one done and started on the next. She helped me figure out my surger that was given to me from one of mom's friends. I need to send her a thank you card.

Thursday I took my quilt to the meeting to quilt on it. Instead, I ended up helping at Quilter's Junction while the owner went to take her grandson to the doctors. I ended up working most of the time, but it brought back memories of working for her when she first opened up her store. I remembered how to work the cash register and d a lot of fun. I also came home with some fabric. I also learned how the fabric crayons worked. We colored some blocks with crayons, ironed them and got to see what they look like. I brought two blocks home to wash, I wanted to see how much coloring you need to do to bring out the color. I bought a pattern awhile back where you color the design and then you embroider it. I'm actually looking forward to starting that. BUT I promised myself, I had to get two done before I can start another one. I'm not a quick as mom - she's already almost done with the Tree of Life quilt from a kit. And she only started it a couple months ago.

Friday I went to the car dealers to get my oil changed. Then I called dad to pick me up and go be with the quilters. I stayed for about an hour and then I went back to get my car. I swear, since my parents moved into town, the quilt group now meets at 9 am instead of 10 am. Then we have a couple that have to be even earlier, and show up at 8 am. I miss the times when I could go early and chat with my parents before anyone shows up, but I have found it doesn't matter how early  I am, there is always someone else earlier than me.. ugh.  I did cut out my pieces for my #32 & #33 block on the Affairs of the Heart blocks. May get that done one of these days too!

Saturday was one of those days my hubby wanted to do something different. So, we went to the movie "Altas Cloud." Don't even go see that movie! It was so violent/gory/horror, with a splash of porn - real porn! I was ready to leave after 20 mins, but hubby thought it would come together. It did, but they could have done it better. This was awful! On top of that, I don't need to see two gay guys making out. (no offence). I just don't need to see it. I quilted for a little while after we got home.

Sunday was a nice day downstairs. I worked on another bag, while hubby and I watched football - dare Seahawks! - and the history channel. I had to change the needles on the serger because it wasn't letting me do anything. Got it working

Got a lot of this bag done. I was surprised at how easy it was getting, but it still took awhile.

And while I was doing this, the photo of Charlie above shows what she was doing on the quilt frame downstairs. I still need to get working on the quilt top for a friend and hope to get that going soon. Last night I worked on quilting the Hawaiian. And NO I do not have a name for it just yet. I've got ideas, but haven't found it yet.

I keep getting closer, and I'm really please with the way it's coming out. The colors may look blue to you, but they are purple. This quilt is purple and white. It does have a blue tint to it.

I lilked the way this was coming along! lol I got this part done, and am working on the area on the other side of it. There are three parts to this area. When one goes around all this, it closes off the other two areas. I then go back to them when each section is done.

The mess is getting bigger, but I'm getting stuff done. I have my table set up like this now, and will put the serger away later. I need to finish two more bags and then I'm HOPING I'm done with bags for awhile. I keep telling Rose, I need to finish what I have and not start anything new, but she has other ideas. lol

So, here in a few mins, after I finish this, I'm going to be Happy Quilting......

Going in circles

This last week, I think I've been going in circles.

I worked on at least 3 different things in the last week. This week I've got a friend coming over today and then the next 2 days I'm in my 2 groups. Haven't Missed a Stitch meets at the Quilter's Junction, in Centralia, WA and Myron's Girls is a group that meets at my mothers. That group is closed.

Miss Charlie has been getting as close to, if not on top of my Hawaiian quilt when I work on it. She seems to think it's her quilt. But then, she was with us from the beginning of that quilt and would sit on it, lay on it, or just be close by when I was appliqueing the quilt top. If I so much as spread it out, to see what I have done, she's there - right in the middle.

Okay, so back to the last week. I went through all those boxes I posted on the Letters from the Past blog, with the exception of the last one. That box is full of nothing but current photos. When I mean current photos, I'm talking about the last 10-15 years. So, I took out the framed photos and left the envelopes with all the photos and negatives. I'm going to put off going through that box for awhile. May have hubby bring in another box of stuff for me to go through, so I can get this done.

I spend 2 full days, and part of another, to put some of the photos into a scrapbook for my kids. I did not even get close to finishing the 3 different photo albums I had started. One is of my father and his family, as well as my mother and her family. That one I haven't touched yet, but I do have photos that I did a while back. So, each album is about half finished. I mostly worked on one album for someone (secret).

While I was doing that, I was also working on the quilt. I finished the above area lsst night. I had my hubby help me open it up to see how far I got. The good news is I am very close to half way. I have the above area to finish - it is in 3 parts for quilting. This is the first section/part that needed quilting to get me half way.

Today is a day of cutting out patterns and trying to see if we can figure out how to work my serger (sp) that was given to me.

Speaking of that, I went to Billie's Designer Fabrics yesterday and spend the afternoon checking out the latest Viking machine - Ruby Deluxe. That machine is wonderful! I recommend it. The kicker is, it's $6,300. More that I have to spend on a sewing machine that does embroidery. I would love to have it, but not something I can afford. Plus, if I got it now, I would be adding unfinished projects to my already unfinished projects, and my goal for the time being is to finish 2 projects before I start another one. I'm getting there, but not fast enough.

With winter coming, I'm hoping to go downstairs, sit and quilt in front of the fireplace while watching TV. I just wish I had the DVR on down there. Then I could get a lot of shows  taped watched and quilting done. Right now the place is a big mess because of the photo boxes I've been going through. So, my table not only has quilting stuff - it has photos. UGH

I hope you all have a great day, and are getting quilting done faster than me (but then if I would stay away from the computer, I would get more done!).

In the meantime, hope all of us are Happy Quilting.......

Getting closer

Life is good. I just posted on the "Letters from the Past" blog - so you can get an idea of what I am doing with my genealogy. 

I just got a call from my parent, telling me they will be stopping by in about an hour. So, thought I would get a few blogging in. 

 

Today is a rainy day. When I look out my back door I see is beautiful tree, with all it's glory. The colors are just wonderful!

On days like this, I tend to play on computers or clean up my messes ----

Which just happens to be the boxes of stuff that were under my quilting table. I wanted to clean it up so I wouldn't have to look at them - knowing I needed to do them at one time or another. After my brothers came and gave me permission to do with the stuff as I pleased, I decided I needed to get it over with. 

Even the top of the table is crammed. I am getting closer, but not quiet there. That box under the table was opened today and would you believe it's full of more photos - more current.

Okay, now you wondering if I actually did any quilting today. Well, so far today that answer would be "No." But if you were to ask me yesterday, the answer would be "yes."

This is the second out of four sides. I had done the first side last week, and decided to go ahead and work on the second side. Then and only then, can I say I'm half way.

I had to take a photo of the area that is completed. I really love the affect the quilting has on this quilt. I'm happy with the results. It's not done in the "traditional" way, but then again, this is my quilt from the beginning. My design, my quilting, and my work. If I wee to take it to be judged, I believe it would not pass judging because the quilting lines are not "exact" and in a special "rhyme or reason" for the quilting. Today's judges tend to judge on what they like, and on what is "perfect." When I don't want a "perfect" quilt, I find I do a better job. 

My mother is coming to work on a couple sheets on my sewing machine. So, not sure how long that will take. I need to go through some newspaper clipping and see what I need to keep and what I don't. As you can tell, my mind is going in five different directions. 

In the meantime, I hope to be Happy Quilting...maybe.tonight.....

Quilting and falling behind on blogging

I realized it has been awhile since I posted anything on here, so today I'm going to get back on track.
The last couple weeks have been busy in more ways then one.

Those "wonderful" shipping boxes under my quilt cutting table have been opened and I have gotten 2 1/2 of them cleared out. I've found another family member in my genealogy and I have even mailed out some photos that belong to another branch of the family. At the same time, I found my great grandmother's friend's family so I can send them photo's we have. Life is busy but things are getting done.

As you can see, I was being watched and she follows me everywhere now. lol

I would go out on a nice day and sit on the swing. It felt good to get some quilting done, and the summer breeze was great.

The more I got done, the more I realized I wasn't getting the area near the border done. So, I decided to get the area near the board quilted so I could add that to my "half" done. If I didn't do them, it wouldn't b "half" but a quarter done.

I've been spending at least 1-2 hours a night watching television and quilting. I'm not worried about the echoing, and I'm really pleased with how it's coming out.

Each stitch is getting me closer and closer to finishing. This quilt is looking wonderful. I am pleased so far with the way it's coming out. I need to go back and do the same to the other boarder area where I quilted before. (sorry hard to explain)

This was completed two nights ago.

This is where I was yesterday. Since it was Sunday, I am even closer to having this area completed.

Yesterday I took the Zucchini on the counter from the garden, and started working on making Zucchini relish. I'm going to try and finish that up today. I'm also working on the tomatoes that I stewed yesterday to make BBQ sauce.

Salsa is my next project of food. LOL I'm making all kinds of things from the garden. We had ton of tomatoes! Gave away 2 buckets of tomatoes to the neighbors and still had enough to make my sauce from.

Thursday and Friday is quilting days. So, I'm going to find something to work on. lol

OH, I did get another bag done, will take a photo of it and post that as well. I also finished another Affairs of the Heart quilt blocks. Now I am down to 5 left. I need to cut the blocks out.

For the record, my gallbladder was removed about 7 weeks ago and I'm doing great. It helped more than I expected.

I am sorry to report a dear friend of my mother's - LouAnn White, d a massive stroke and is in the nursing home to re-coop. She is paralyzed on the right side and is not able to do much. She won't be able to quilt for a long time, but our prayers are with her in this trying time.

In the meantime, I'll be busy and Happy Quilting.....