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.

Baby Gator Fan to Be....

Tonight I finished my baby quilt for my neighbor.  It turned out really nice. I fmq footballs across the blue/orange gator fabric and meandered the orange dot and orange gator fabric. I embroidered his name in the corner.

As you can see the backing fabric is not the same as in the initial idea of the quilt.  It is now a colbalt blue. Funny story. Carol, my neighbor calls me at 7:30 am....  Shellie,  you're going to think I'm crazy.  I thought about it all night. I think the backing fabric should be blue. They have a dark haired dog and white will get dirty..... you think I'm crazy; don't you.  Oh NO NO Carol. It is no big deal, I say. We can do that.

embroidered baby boy's name

quilted footballs across the main panel

I'm wondering if I should meander in between the footballs?  I will have to think on that tonight.

Well, off to pack up and clean up for I'm off to Reenie's to sew.....ALL DAY!!!  (brace yourself bucco)