irma sewing

instead of just mindlessly staring at the weather channel, figured i could get something done...pulled out the selvedge shoebox to proceed with potholders for upcoming gift giving..

been stockpiling these for a while and even gifted some by vic in nh....did make a pillow with some a while back and some little needlecases too....

these'll get turned into nifty potholders...they make great gifts....all from scraps!   *** another beauty of a day....popped a quiche in the oven to use up some milk and laundry is also on the list.   keeping busy while waiting to hear from florida gang...i know they are safe but will be reassuring to hear all the same.  even though it's september 11th, only irma seems to be on everyone's mind....

southward prayers

my heart and mind are focused on florida....sending prayers for safety to family in irma's direct path....

surprise!

moira had a giveaway over on her blog and wow, i won!  it's one of those fabulous quiltmaker 100 blocks issues...

it's the fall 2014 issue but no matter, sure it's chock full of quilty fun.  moira often designs blocks for these issues and that is awe-inspiring to me as i am not a designer in any way, shape or manner. i follow patterns, that's about it.  ***  another perfect late summer day.  first thing roasted a whole cookie sheet of fresh tomatoes for soup.  i'll puree these a bit, leaving some chunks of course, and pop in the freezer for cool winter days...just add some stock, dried basil and parsley and a bit of milk/cream and it's ready!

did some other veggie cooking for the weekend....that leaves only laundry--piles and piles of laundry!

attention all quilters!

LONG POST BUT IMPORTANT!!!!  for many years now, i've been a member of the yahoo group "stashbusters" whose mission was to encourage us to use our stash...as you can imagine, mine has grown exponentially since so in that sense, the group is a complete failure...lol!   BUT, i have met many wonderful quilters including the famous bonnie hunter thru this group and a few even in person!   this was posted just a day ago and i wanted to share with you.  i've already sent along 2 quilt batts thru amazon, a super easy thing to do.  am including the contact info for betty as it just might be that some of you will be able to help as well...imagine if ALL your stash were lost, your UFOs, your quilts....not life threatening of course, but devastating to a quilter nonetheless.  nobody is going to check up on you or make you report back, this is entirely voluntary and for you to act as your heart prompts.  many of us, even with personal daily struggles and challenges, are blessed beyond measure...i know i am...even just recently with that astounding gift of aurifil thread.  happy to pay it forward....

THIS IS THE MESSAGE THAT WAS POSTED IN RESPONSE TO QUERY:

Gosh, how do I ask..

The storage unit with about 40 full sized disaster quilts, 80+ Nursing home quilts, 60+ Linus Quilts, Christmas Stockings, a new roll of batting, about 40 Preemie quilts, and untold yards of fabric, cutting boards, shelving,, and so on were lost due to flooding from Hurricane Harvey.

One of my best friends (Nita Beard - chairman of WHQG Comfort Quilts) is just devastated. They had over 4 feet of water in the storage unit where we store this stuff... The Storage place said it is a total loss as it has been under water for over a week, and is too toxic to even come and look at, and is still underwater (at least 2 feet) as long as the Addicks reservoir is still releasing water.

Of course all Nita's Bee members have donated a bunch of fabric. but, this was a storage unit 10 x 20 foot FULL of fabric.

Last week, I asked for jelly rolls for Tri-County Quilt guild. They had OVERWHELMING success. Standing room only, making jelly roll quilts.

This is for West Houston Quilters Guild. Our meeting location (Bear Creek and in the the middle of the Addicks Reservoir) is under several feet of water. Closed until further notice. The storage unit is in the midst of this.

The Comfort Quilters will begin again. We are starting from scratch. Nita had about 40 kits in her car,, and that is what we have to start with.

We have some Hobbs UPC codes to try to get some batting again.

****We could use:
--Hobbs UPC codes - ANY Hobbs product.
--Yardage to get us started again.
--Quilt tops
--Finished quilts

Just devastated at what we lost, to help others.... Very discouraged. Nita with her positive attitude says that all will be well, and that God will take care.

***Any donations can be sent to me or I can give you Nita's address.

Betty Baker
Attn: WHQG Disaster
17412 Bobcat Trail
Cypress TX 77429

We will start over... gosh, still grieving over what was lost. Our Thursday Bee is starting with a sew-in in a next week to piece tops. A couple of Bee members with longarms and I have volunteered to quilt anything that comes in.

This is a different group from Tri-County. I am a member of both.

Betty
Cypress TX
www.TShirtQuiltsTX. com

not too soon

now that pumpkins and halloween candy/costumes are everywhere, not too early to think about christmas....took a tiny sewing detour and made this sunburst tabletopper for guild raffle basket.

and thanks to free craftsy videos yesterday, just might tackle machine quilting this one.  matchstick machine quilting has always intrigued/tempted me, and so meandered over to craftsy and watched a terrific how-to video.  am thinking this might be quilted in a spiral to echo the starlight mints on the fabric.  practice will come first, and a walking foot of course, but could be just right for this piece.  ***  gorgeous late summer day here but cooler for the rest of the week.  spaghetti sauce is on the stove for the freezer and maybe a clam chowder for later in the week.  otherwise back to the machine and more orange piecing!  the tumbler top has found another home and thinking my next one will be kaffe reds/magentas with a pale pink alternate....to keep for me!

sorted greens

while at the dollar store yesterday, picked up a few clear shoeboxes to get my greens/reds finally put away.  knew that the 3 i bought wouldn't be enough, but would be a start.   quite happy today to see that the 3 are just enough for my pile of greens!  now just the reds pile is left and pretty sure 3 will be enough for them as well.

now they are in plain sight and easy to access....with the demise of the bookcase earlier this year, happy to find a more thrifty solution than replacing it...takes up less room as well....

and this very nice birthday surprise was in my mailbox yesterday.. many who blog are familiar with janet in utah, an expert at miniquilts and known for her kindness and generosity too.  vic from NH and i met janet years ago  (that long....really?) at keepsake quilting when she was visiting her daughter...we had already been friends online and meeting in person kicked that friendship up several notches...  she makes this lovely and fragrant soap and those dots????   i love them!  she is a gem of a friend for sure who handles her many cares mostly privately while flitting about the blogging world.

the dots are grunge dots and i had never seen them before, but oooh i'd love to have some yardage of the tan and gray to start with...thank you so much, janet!  you are definitely on santa's nice list this year!

down to the wire

it's the eve of the 31st and my summer UFO blitz is winding down....just today, though, finished this tumbler top and although i had planned a border, have decided not to as it's just big enough to hand quilt and finish.  i have a nice red print that i might use for binding....might, that is.

i love these scrappy tumblers and after it's final press, it goes in the finish pile with the others waiting on me...course, it hasn't diminished the stash pile much but that was a given before started.  *** looking back, pretty happy with what got accomplished these 3 short months, actually 2.5 due to my vacation.  even so, there are 4 empty drawers in the UFO cabinet, a few less plastic baggie UFOs and a few less cross-stitch UFOs.  not to mention the few small finishes that are no longer in THAT pile.  two flimsies were sold and found new homes and didn't even make it to the finish pile.  pretty good progress overall, but can't slack off.  the orange mod top didn't get done so that is up next.  plus some selvedge potholders.  plus finish the senior center QOV......etc. etc. etc.!  meanwhile, planning to ease into september and autumn's arrival.....and forgive me for veering off quilting, but this photo came to us a few days ago and am completely gobsmacked by how beautiful my mom was...this was 1945 and she is still beautiful at 90, but wow, she coulda been a pinup gal...

sewing prezzie

yep, today marks another year in existence for me...my mom is astounded to realize she has a child who is 68 years old!  in our family we don't think much about years, just keep on keeping on, and so far it has worked out pretty well....among other things, this arrived as a gift...

so the place is packed with aurifil thread now and the machine gals will be purring and whirring with delight!  i was really bowled over with this generous gift, but have promised to pay it forward as i've always done anyway.  and yesterday, this also arrived in my mailbox....not a gift but a harbinger!

was surprised as here in the northern south, we are still in summer mode. i did read that the new england foliage was predicted to be over the top this year...i just love autumn!  and even tho i'm not venturing back to school, some old habits die very slowly so indulged in these, feeling very rich indeed to have 2 boxes!

actually i thought the new blue would be included, but it wasn't yet.  opened them up and inhaled that heady wax aroma that only brand new crayons have.  packed away i have the box of 64 and a commemorative tin too...even as a youngster, color tantalized me so the segue to fabric was a given from early days...finally, this project progresses on with the hopes of finish by end of august september, possible presentation on veterans' day. 

with the summer UFO blitz, the finish pile is, well, piling up and time marches on...now, though, time to bake a small chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting and some pretty sprinkles on top...no candles are allowed here but not needed as i'm only as old as i feel....how about you???

the day's fun

before heading off to dreamland, wanted to post a wednesday report....first up, a small finish...bonnie hunter's wild and goosey pattern, the mini version...

at some point, she posted a photo of a large antique done like this but i opted for a smaller version for a quick (don't laugh) finish....i really love this and if i were 30 instead of ??? i am pretty sure i'd do a bed size...and this also got finished today....

found a home on the antique sled where some small quilts are displayed...really happy to see this finished....and continued working on the tumblers which work up super fast...this top is now just about half finished...and was able to avoid drooling on it while "witness" was on...one of my fave movies....harrison ford and amish quilts?  what's NOT to like????

actually pulled FQs and cut more pieces for this....always good feeling to shop the stash!   i do like this a lot and itching to get to the fun part, the quilting!  ***  can't believe labor day is around the corner and my very favorite season....autumn!  but first, a birthday cake to make for you-know-who!

summer UFO train....

chugging along emptying more drawers before autumn arrives...with 12 more days hoping to end up with the orange mod as a flimsy....today's progress is the scrappy 9-patch with reconfigured border...

still not perfect but improved over the previous 2 borders.....glad i made the effort for the unsewing and resewing....was going to donate to the thrift store but i kinda like it so maybe i'll just tie and finish and use it for charity.   waiting in the wings and already in the machine is the repro tumbler scrappy....

four rows were already done and have lots of tumblers already cut in the UFO drawer.  again, destination uncertain but i have envisioned hand quilting this one.  it'll need a border of some sort, not very wide, but a neutral and then a dark print to bind.  i could definitely snuggle under this one.   and unearthed a couple of cross stitch pieces needing finishing.  framing is too pricey, but decided to make a decorative pillow of this one.  it was done back in the 1980s and was sad to see some discoloration that didn't come out with washing.  i really like this piece and sorry i left it unfinished so long.  when i made it, i had the house and lots of

decorating dreams, but have found the perfect place for it here in my new home....so the time seems right.  the other piece is a serenity prayer that will also become a pillow after some eyelet trim is purchased.  it, too, was made in the 1980s during the ex's first go-round with AA. we split not long after, so lost interest in finishing.  lastly, DD came for a visit last week and drooled over this wallhanging, even offering to BUY it, but mom had a light bulb moment....

remember the sampler christmas stocking?  half done at this point, so made a deal with her and she will finish the cross-stitch, and i will quilt the basket wallhanging and give to her. she is a perfectionist with her cross stitch....synapses really firing that day!   now back to that moving train!

[new header photo is marsha mccloskey's north wind from her book "quick classic quilts"....i loved making this and love the result and love that book as well...flimsy was donated to vermont flood relief a few years back]