Madi's duvet cover

Here it is!!!  Wow... this was an adventure; a duvet/quilt cover. Remember from the bright idea?

I just need to add the buttons and button holes at the bottom and we are finished.  The reason I say a duvet/quilt is that I layered it with batting and a white backing then quilted it. Then, sewed on a casing or another backing separately to make it the duvet cover. On top of that, I added a binding to make it more like a quilt top. The reason she wanted a duvet cover is she wants it puffy and quilts are not puffy. This has two layers; the quilted top and the extra puff once the feather comforter is put inside.

Still two pillow shams to go. It may need another color bed skirt. Maybe blue or green...
Her birthday is Wednesday.  It will not be done by then but I think all is good. Can you believe 18? Nope, I can not.

Bright Idea

Madison is getting prepared for college. She has her books, Vera Bradley black luggage small carry on for the bookbag, found her classes, has the parking pass and new clothes she bought herself.  Well something must be missing becasue there is all the dorm room stuff out for incoming freshmen to buy but not for Madi. So she comes up the the plan to redo her room....  now! It must be finished this week.

So she picks out all the items she wants and lays it on me.

Mom, Make me this....

So we go to Joann's to pick out fabric and we come up with this....

I have the middle piece sewn.

Then we went to Lowes and bought paint. Yay. I can't wait to paint a room. We found lamps and we are looking for a mirror.

I so think I really wanted something to do. Watch out for what you wish for.

This is Japanese fabric Toni gave me for making her the knot bag.

I think I will make her a purse out of it! =)

Working on....

I have been working on a quilt for a friend's graduation. It needs to be finished by next weekend. Shouldnt be too difficult. It is from the blog Moda Bake Shop.
I love the fabric line Oz. This young lady can never find anything with her name on it so I thought she would love this. I thought of her as soon as I saw it. I have finished cutting out the flowers and adding her name then on to the applique part. Deciding whether to add borders since this quilt was designed for little ones or babies.

Oh and I love this:

so easy....

Then I have finished the blocks to the star mystery quilt and forming the rows for it. I decided on a black small border and a green/orange flower border.... haven't layed it together yet.

Then Im working on our 30's pinwheels for the Reenie/Kathy quilt. I wonder where they are on theirs.

Then Im thinking of my own design for a quilt and I am still trying to get together with Regina for our quilt....  see lots of quilting.

Oh I have also been thinking of a way to add drawers to my sewing area. What style, size, quantity...? not sure.

The Ugly Fabric Challenge..... my entry

Reenie came up with the wonderful challenge of use all of this ugly fabric and send in your entry picture.

so my entry was this....

My ideas was the top of my desk when I write postcards and letters to friends and family. The stamps and envelope seals are from the ugly fabric along with the borders.
    I did not place.  The other entries were fabulous though.  Congratulations to Cathy McG, Beth and Lillian !!!

I hope we do this again soon. It was really fun.

Japanese Knot Bag

As I mentioned, I bought fabric for a gift for mom's friend. I do hope this cheers her up a little. I know her heart is breaking with the loss of her son.
I finished the Japanese knot bag.  I really like it. I picked out the fabric at Ivy Thimble while I was out with the gals. I needed to be on the hunt for something.....
It is reversible and you just slip it on your wrist and you are off.

                                            The colors just pop.  Toni, mom's friend, is from Japan; the reason behind my selecting this pattern. 

Now on to read a chapter or two and sleep. I have to get up a 5am; working overtime again.

A Saturday with friends!

I am not just a working machine.....  Saturday was spent with my quilt retreat friends from Cobbled Court.

Reenie, Kathy and me

This was the second shop we hit, Ivy Thimble. I bought some oriental fabric to make my mom's friend a gift to ease her pain from a recent loss in the family and two small prints for me.

The first shop was Craft Bits & Pieces. I love love love this store. You can either find great treasures there or not. This was a time were you would say "Score!".....  

I bought a lot of fabric and then found a Swatch watch and a gold ring both together for $8.  (no... not the total bill.)   Wowzers!!

After our shops we went to Chili's for lunch and back to do a little sewing. I mean we brought our machines and all....

We had planned on a pattern by Moda Bake Shop.   We brought 30's fabric and a background and had them cut up and ready to go.

I really like how they turned out.

About 5pm we finished up and headed home. I so hope we can do this again soon. I definitely needed this with all the work I've been doing with the new job. I like it but it is cutting into my sewing and upkeep of the house and home.  It will all work out soon I'm sure.

Oh, this is what I bought Friday; 16 fatquarters, from Betty's. It is closing. I honestly won't miss it because it was not a very overly friendly shop.  

Now, Onto more cleaning and maybe some sewing.

Hi.... Cinnamon Toast is on the bed...

No... I haven't fallen off the face of the earth nor bottom. 

boom.. boom boom....

Working overtime and graduation is this week which inspired me to finishe Cinnamon Toast.

Mom and Dad are coming and the guest room needs a new quilt. Christmas block of Cobble Court will just not do on the first day of summer.

Now on to cleaning some more and working til I drop.

Night all.

Back online...Yay! and Christmas quiltalong... ho ho ho

Im back!!!  Oh boy! to type and look and surf is grand. I have missed my computer badly.
The hard drive died. It lasted awhile... 4yrs. The guy said it was a very nice computer....ran fast. hee hee.

Anyway, Today is the Christmas quiltalong at Quilt Times. I am looking forward to spending time in the sewing room today. It is rainy and Im kinda pooped. Need a little RnR.... 

Work is good. I stay busy. I am learning how to pour molds from impressions. We'll see..... 

I have lost 12lbs too by the way. I started the Dukan Diet and it is a bit rough so Ive cheated but it is ok with factoring in 12 lbs...  Im good. Only 30 more to go.... I will settle for it to go away in 5lb increments. lol

so off to brush my teeth, start laundry, get coffee and sew!!!

Hi!! I so Miss you!!

Hi all...  I am MIA!  My computer is in the shop probably for another week. I am so sad. The good news is I have a JOB.... YAY!!! Finally. And I love it. I started two days ago. I am a Lab tech/braces specialist for Six Month Smiles.  I am just unpacking the lab now and it should start up in June. I love this company, the people, and everything so far.

On the quilt side, I am working on a few ufo's and haven't been down in the basement since my job. It's ok. Im good.

So sorry Im not keeping up with you. I only can use a computer here and there (my hubbies or son's).

ttyl

Missing computer but loving job!!

Flannel top may still be of some use....

I may need to make a to do list for this week.  Spring break is going to be long and I think a lot of cleaning will be accomplished and items on the "To Do List" crossed off which Im not for certain is a great thing....  I love getting things finished but being forced to due to lack of things to do is something else. Everyone is on vacation and hubby is out of town again but it is only a few more days then I will have a house full. Ahhh!

I finished the flannel yellow brick road today. I just needed to sew the rows and then today did the borders and then we will sandwich this one because the backing has already been purchased.

Now on to some errands that I need to run: hair cut for Madi, pick up contacts for Eric and Easter items.

Have a great Spring day!!

Monkey Biz top

Here is the Monkey Biz top. The batik strips were from the November '10 retreat in Connecticut and the light strips were from my birthday gift from Reenie.

and now I am finishing this top from the Relay for life mystery 18.

I ran out of bobbin thread at ten last night so that was it for me.

I need to sew the last few on the row for the right side and then sew them on.

Today I may work on the flannel quilt and the other mystery to add the small stars in and a few wallets.

maybe... though I have not much else to do with hubby away and a grumpy daughter on the couch all stuffy.

So I go to the basement and sew with Mia.

Happy Palm Sunday!

Christmas Quiltalong in April

Yep. Wrap your head around that one....  Not only do I want spring and sunshine but now I have to think Christmas... ha ha. Well, I know I need to pick up my sewing room, then finish Monkey biz, then I would like to look for fabric for the stars in our block we have received and see what I have, and there are two other quilts I would love to finish into tops. This is a lot. Then if I get bored or bothered with any of those I have the yo yo gingerbread house wall hanging to do.

We will see what my hands wanna do. Right now I need coffee.  Be back in a bit...


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I decided on the yoyo wall hanging. 

Remember this? I found it in Maryland while shopping with my cousin. There was one made up but I do not remember it at this scale...

It be a nice big size. I still add a white piece to the bottom, not sure when, and I am now going to pick out the color for windows and add the snow along the roof. Then I will see what is next.

I have also rhinestoned Madi's costume and enjoyed outside a bit with the picking up twigs, cleaning out the car and playing with Mia, yorkie pom who will be 7yrs in May.

Time to go see if I can work on this before it is dinner time or after.

Spring !

Here we are....  Snowballs in Spring ...

it gives me warm fuzzies all over.  This is from a swap once again with the Cobbled Court Quilting Circle to a table topper for Spring.  My quilting circle sisters have placed a grin on my icicle face that will melt any Winter blahed heart. Yay! girlies.

Now I just need to sandwich it and bind it and place on the table for the first day of spring to be complete.

Smiles.

Spring forward...

Boy, oh boy!  I slept in. I never sleep in. Ever. Can I blame it on turning our clocks and hour ahead? I think so....  but I didnt advance it two hours. hummmm

To address yesterday's Christmas quiltalong.... my project did not go as planned. Me, of all people forgot to blanket stitch. I was following the pattern that said zigzag or satin stitch and I knew I didnt like how it was turning out. So Im not sure if I will knix this project or try to fix it which means taking it out. May knix it....

So, I turned to the NYE Mystery that I just need to sew the rows together and add borders.

And... oh most important ...  hee hee.  I got my snowball blocks. OHHHHHH!!!  the love I have for these blocks....  but....dilemma.... I have no idea what to do for borders. I can not find a fabric that goes. Ive tried everything and my room is a mess. NOT HAPPY>  Im thinking a mixture of colors of lavender, pink, and yellow/orange.... now to find it.

But I had company and I had so much fun with Reenie and when Regina stopped by it was even better.
=)

Today is the Christmas Quiltalong and Reenie is coming over to visit and sew.  Wowzeers!

(just click the button if you would like to join in)

I plan to work on many projects: the snowman wallhanging, snowman bag and some odds and ends that just need to be put together.

Now I need to go pick up and organize before all time elapses....

****

Playing and putter....

This is what I was playing with this weekend. I finished the quilt to donate. I added a blue/cream border which I think allows the blues in the quilt to pop.

Then I finished the blocks and they are laid out on the floor; too big for design wall and really I just like to stick things up there to get them out of the way. I do not think I really like to lay out a quilt on it....  floor works for me.

Then I made a wallet to gift.

Then I spent the rest of the night attempting to knit.

I have to say this attempt has been the best one.... 

I still think it is awkward....

This was the garter stitch which is just knit stitch...  I couldnt keep track of switching to purl.

So after hours I have it down I just need to get gauge and the knack of doing it.

Crochet I think is easier....

Winter Break...

They say there is a month until SPRING....
Im not sure if I can wait....
It is Winter Break here in WNY and I am about no, AM going NuTs.
Im done with winter, snow, COLD, oh my yes, the Cold.... and the blahs....oh my the BLAHS... there is no amount of Vit D that will fix this.  I have to say Sewing helps but it is so dang cold down there.
So I looked at my scrap basket and said nooooooo, and looked at it again and said ohhhh I can take that upstairs and cut.

And I havent made much of a dent....

another 2-3 days worth of work....

I like these....they kinda cut them self.

So, I remembered that I had these squares finished and just needed to sew them together and slap them into a quit to gift with Reenie's House of Mercy  donations. So this makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside. I have gather together some other items on the list and may finish another quilt; I hope.

I was squaring up the backing (gold fabric).  AnnMarie likes this quilt...(it would have gone to you missy if gifting it wasnt needed. You liked this one....)

Otherwise, I have only worked on the Monkey Business quilt and have two rows of it finished.

I love it.

I still have so much to work on. I need to finish the table topper I started with Reenie, figuring out these Asterisk blocks with Regina which I will have to iron properly.....  It definitely need to be, and the nye mystery blocks you can see here in the pic need to be sewn together,,,one row only geese. The list goes on and on...

Well I can see grass again, and the sun was out today so there is a smile here on the face... 

On the back burner....

I couldn't say " I was working on this...."
I couldn't say " I finished this...."

        or it would have ruined the

              SURPRISE!!!

Yeah, I surprise the ole' Reenster on her Birthday.

Ha ha ha ha ha ha....

Since our retreat and there after she has confessed a LOVE for this quilt. I have never heard of someone loving a quilt so much before. So, it had to be hers. I finished it and wrapped it and put it in a box and mailed it. Right after mailing it I went to see her for lunch for her birthday (this was Friday). Do you know how hard it is to keep a secret from her...?

So Shell, what have you been working on? Ummmm you know the heart quilt I finished it and the baby quilt that I finished. That is all I could come up with.
   The binding are strips of some of the fabrics in the quilt. That turned out to really work and made the quilt come alive. I used a fall small leaf on golden yellow for the backing.

I quilted all around the pieces in the panel. Outlined them if you will. I really liked this. So fun!

Sneaky Sneaky.....

Christmas Quilt Along

I worked on the applique snowmen this evening. They are on the wall hanging. I will finish it up tomorrow and post pictures. I went out to Syracuse today with Madison in hunt for a prom dress at a shop called Boogie Babes I believe. It was not a fun trip at all; snow squalls, bad news as we headed out, and the shop did not have her dresses she looked up on the computer. It said they did and one sold before we arrived and they are not on line...... 

night all....

Snow Day Sew In

Saturday was a Sew In snow day Regina put together for local quilters and crafters.  I was still a little stuffy with my head cold but wanting to get out of the house and hang out with my fellow female companions.

I had cut out the 2 1/2" X 4 1/2" rectangles out of the batik strips the night before and that was the plan to chain piece them and get the Monkey Business quilt going.

I met some really nice ladies and they were all doing very interesting projects. 

                                        Regina was working on a pattern on Moda's Bake shop.
                                        A really fast way to do flying geese with no waste.

Bernie, a newbie to quilting working on log cabin blocks.

Here is all of us; working away.

I made a block up to see how it would look.

I have a few more units to do and then light units.

Batiks are so pretty.

A very eventful day of chili, timbits, hot chocolate, broccoli cheddar soup and warm friendly chatter.

Sewin' Day with Reenie

I arrive at Reenie's with all of my cargo and she blurts out, " Would you like to hit a quilt shop?"

Like there is any reason to ask me twice though I say " Are you kidding me?"  ha ha ha ha....  (did I hear her right? what about the no shopping..... I wonder to myself)

"I thought we could take a drive to Ivy Thimble. I love that shop." she says.  "ok"......

"When?" I ask....."NOW! that way we get it done and then sew." she says.  "Boy, you've thought this out."

So.... we head on down to Ivy Thimble with stops along the way.  First we stop at Craft Bits n Pieces.

I bought this for $22

Then we are off to Good Will cuz we hear on the radio that the Bee was there and we thought we would try a spin on the wheel.  Well, wrong one I guess so we just wonder around and Reenie finds a 4yd cut of fabric for $2. Deal of the day! Onto to Ivy Thimble.

I bought a few quarter cuts of 30's prints and a fat quarter for my flannel Yellow Brick Road I'm about to sew. I needed one more light. 

I was wondering around and picked up a batik jellyroll in lights. I said wow, this would be perfect for my quilt with the retreat strips I collected to make the Monkey Business quilt. (but I already have a tone on tone that is fine. I tell myself and Reenie. I talk myself out of it.)  So around and around we go looking and loving all the fabric. They have such a great collection and assortment.

Yep, it ended up in my bag as we walked out the door. Here you go she says. Happy Birthday!!!
Too much missy...... too much.  (but I love it. Mind you all day she speaks nothing of my birthday being Monday nor do I. I was super just out and about sewing day.....sneak!!!)

So, it will go in this..... Monkey Business

and use the strips from the retreat.

Then we were off to get pizza to bring home. Yay.... hungry.

Little bit of Pepsi.  Glasses of wine.

And then cut the fabric for the table runner "Star Crossed Love" from Marie's book A Thread so Thin.

Here are the two sets I finished (8). Two more sets to go.

I was so pooped when I left that I made a wrong turn onto Rt 283. I was heading east. I must have wanted to be RETREAT bound...  so I turned around about 10ish minutes down the road (the wrong way) and head home. So I talked to Patrice, got a shower and watched a little tv then went to bed.

Good day. Good day.