Design Wall Monday- January 31, 2011

The day has come to REVEAL my Monochromatic Challenge Quilt. It has been a definite Challenge for me. not only just the color YELLOW. Trying to find time to work on it with my other projects and with all that has happened in the Month already. I will bid January goodbye and hope to still complete this one before February is here. I took my Inspiration from the mini quilt in the book I showed the begining of the Month. I cut the strips and used my Eleanor Burns HST ruler to make the Baskets. My baskets don't have handles. I think they look pretty good for being all one color. The corners still need a bit of work on how they will end up. I will at least get this to the "flimsy" stage this month. Since my Quilt Table is full at the moment, it won't be quilted today. I think I will quilt some flowers in the white space. This quilt will brighten up a dreary day for sure. Click HERE to see more Monday Design Walls this week.

Stash Report - January 30, 2011

Used this week: 5.75 yards Used year to Date: 19.75 yards Added this Week: 0 yards Added Year to Date: 15.25 yards Net Used for 2011: 12 yards It was a good week ---I cut out a Mystery that I'm testing for a friend and found time to finish my YELLOW Monochromatic Challenge quilt top. It is made totally from STASH and I have all day Monday to finish quilting and binding it. I'm counting the binding here for this week. It is all sewn together, pressed and ready to put on. The backing will be counted next week as I'm not sure of the finished size YET. My Monochromatic Challenge project will be revealed on this week's Design Wall Monday post. I wonder what color will be chosen for February??? With the making of my Civil War blocks and the Super-me capes it added to more use of my Stash. Using my Stash is adding to my pile of HST's from Bindings and my Selvage Ball is getting bigger too. It is measuring around the 9" line. I'll have to see how big it gets after the year is half over... I have a few more selvages to add. I use the cut off triangles from Bindings to make HST's as Leader/Enders as Bonnie Hunter calls them. Click HERE to go see more Stash Reports at Patchwork times.

Two More Super Heroes and MAIL!

Samuel and Vincent had Birthdays this week-end so they got their Super-Me Capes. I made Super-Me Capes for the 5 grandsons for Christmas back in 2006, before these boys and a few others came. Both boys were a little shy about trying them on, but showed me they could fly after they warmed up to the idea. I know this is telling, but the grandchildren don't read my Blog,(neither do their dads, I am told) so I think I'm safe in telling the MOM's that their boys who don't have capes will be getting them for their birthdays this year. Maybe even the girls, who don't have them, we will see... It was a GOOD Mail Day today. See this Box?

I WON another Blog contest from Pat Sloan and her Flip-Pal Blogging friends. In January they gave away one per week if you commented on the Blogs of the designers who posted projects using this fun new tool. You can see some of the Projects she did HERE and HERE and HERE. There were 6 other designers who participated. Just in case you want to see their projects too, I've added their Links below. Amy Anderson: http://www.modpodgerocksblog.com/ Chef Stephanie Petersen: cheftessbakeresse.blogspot.com Melissa Langer: pugnotes.blogspot.com Linda Molden Peterson: lindapetersondesigns.blogspot.com Christy Tomlinson: http://www.modpodgerocksblog.com/ Kathy Peterson Inspired: kathypeterson.com/wordpress/ This will make scanning my pictures in the albums so much easier. I can upload them and print them as needed without taking them out of the scrapbooks I've done. The actual item is much bigger than I pictured in my mind. I feel so Lucky!

Almost caught up

It's been a very busy week welcoming a new granddaughter and trying to stay awake long enough to get my quilting done too. I want to show the close-up of the design I quilted in Abigail's Quilt.

I made Block 4 and 3 of the Civil War Blocks of the Week. The next one is put up on Saturday. Seven Sisters was the block I chose to work on while I was at NaDell's on Friday to help take her to the follow-up appointment. I also got to go and pick up Elizabeth at school. Hand stitching those tiny points while watching Tinkerbell and Shrek with Olivia and Vincent. This is my friend's quilt that she made with my directions via e-mail and telephone. I bought the fabrics for her husband to give her for Christmas a few years ago. This quilt is taking the FULL use of my Table. I am hoping to get it quilted in the next week so I can show it at Guild. It measures 94"x108". It's HUGE! These are the choices of quilting patterns and thread I have given her for it. The designs were FREE from INTELLIGENT QUILTING I still am working on my MONOCHROMATIC Challenge with the YELLOW fabrics. I will have it to show on the Monday Design Wall. It will be at least to the "Flimsy" Stage by then. Tuesday we get a new Color and a new Number of UFO to work on for February. I'll be busy working on some Swaps in the Month of February too. More grandbabies coming in March and April so their quilts will be in the works too.

Abigail's Baby Bouquet

TA-DA Before we could go and meet Abigail I had to get a picture of me with her quilt that I finished. From a distance it looks nice and it is "crinkle-y" since I washed it. Abigail is #15 of our Grandchildren. #4 of the Granddaughters. In April the count of Grandsons will be 13...That means 2 more baby quilts ready to go. I had Paul stop at Albertson's to get some roses for the kids to give their mom. I was remembering the day that Milton, Joe and NaDell came to meet their little brother; Brant in the Hospital. Paul stopped at a flower shop and the lady gave each of the kids a rose to bring to me. I was so touched seeing my three older children standing there looking in the window of the NICU. It was a happy and scary day for me made better by the vision. Brant spent 9 days in the NICU. We call him our $10,000 baby. Janessa asked me to send her a picture from my Phone of her. Paul took this one with my phone. She posted it on Facebook for us. I'm glad she is here and that they have given her my name for her middle name. She has a lot of hair, mostly in the back and it is dark like her BIG sister had when she was born. We are hoping for another beautiful redhead. Here are the Four Ransom children together at the Hospital. I spent part of the time waiting to leave home curling the girls hair. We had to put pink bows in for their sister. We practiced smiling by saying "Abigail". They were so excited to go and meet their new baby sister. Vincent and Olivia both fell asleep on the ride over. I hope they go to bed good for Grandma Shirley.

Waiting for Abigail

The Ransom children came to spend the night with us before they go to meet their new baby sister. This morning they asked to blow Bubbles. The girls blew the bubbles and caught them on their wands and blew them again. Vincent was the bubble popper.Today Grandpa took half the day off so we could go for a walk. It was a very LONG walk. We saw how the snow has melted and filled Mill Creek. This was the first Bridge we crossed. There was a bench to stop and rest. The end of trail there was Rook's Park and a playground. We had to walk back and cross over this wooden bridge. See the Mill Creek Dam in the back of the picture below? Grandpa said he hasn't seen the water come over the spillway before this year. He walks up there often. Vincent and Grandpa had a nap then they walked to Pioneer Park. It started to rain so they called for me to come and drive them home... For Family Night Elizabeth planned the Activity- a game of UNO was played with Grandpa. Olivia planned the Treat- Ice Cream Cones, Grandpa did a short lesson on the 1st Article of Faith. Now it's time for BED... In the morning we go to meet Abigail... her quilt is almost all done. I need to put in through the washer to wash out the pencil marks I made to stitch the outer border.

Design Wall Monday January 24, 2011

Abigail's quilt all done except for the binding. That is on the agenda early this week. Blocks 3 and 4 of the Civil War BOW are waiting to be made also. Then I need to work on the YELLOW Challenge and a Mystery so no pictures of those until it's time to reveal... One week left to make something. Grandchildren spending a couple of nights so handwork will be ok while they play. I'm hopeful their mother is getting a little rest before the new Baby arrives. The novelty of the sleeping bags didn't last long. The floor is pretty hard. Grandma is learning patience once again. Check out other Design Walls HERE

Stash Report January 23, 2011

I have used some fabric this week, YEA!!! The fabric I thought I had for Abigail's Quilt backing wasn't big enough, so I had to go and get something that worked at Lynn's. I am using fabric from Stash for the binding. I brought home more than I used, but will return what is left so I'm not counting it all. Used this week: 3.5 yards Used year to Date: 14 yards Added this Week: 2.5 yards Added Year to Date: 15.25 yards Net Used for 2011 6.25 yards For more Stash Report's click HERE

Saturday Visitors-belated Birthday

My two oldest sons came to visit Saturday afternoon with their children. That meant I saw half of my grandchildren today. I had Paul take my picture with them, in spite of the fact Sam didn't want to be in the picture.

This is the metal sign Milton and Christen brought for my Birthday. I like what it says!

Joe and Kori gave me a gift card to buy more batting or thread at JoAnn's. I'm using a lot of it since I have my table extended.

I got to show off a few of my quilts that Christen hasn't seen and also showed her and Milton the way I quilt now that the table is at it's 10' length. The grandkids followed us down and played with grandpa's Santa collection. I guess Christmas isn't ALL put away yet. There is a lot more room now that the multiple Trees are down and put away. That was an all day job today!

Well, I have a few more hours to finish Abigail's quilting on her quilt. It's not as perfect as I wanted, but it will be done before she arrives on Tuesday. Only in my dreams are the stitches perfect every time.

UFO #6- FINISHED!!!

The first UFO of 2011 UFO Challenge is FINISHED!!! It took a long time but it is out of the quilting table and ready to be bound tonight. I did free-motion loops and meadered/scribbled in the outer borders and SID in the blue striped border and a weird wave of C's in the border with the Umbrella and Fish in the Corners. Nothing to really brag about, just DONE. I still have a few days left in the month to finish the 6A UFO, maybe to the 'flimsy' stage. I have a pink and white quilt ready to go into the Frame so it can welcome the newest member of the Family next week.

REAL Vanilla!

Yes, the package from Arizona arrived. It must have come late Saturday evening when Paul & I were out celebrating with friends at Dairy Queen. The Bushman's, Turner's, Limburg's and us. We Celebrated with our Neighbor on Saturday too. Her son invited her friends to come for a Surprise party at Pioneer Park. He told her they were going to the Movies to see "True Grit". Her 90th Birthday was on Sunday. The same date as my Mother by Love and my late Grandma Waite! I hope I get to have that many Birthdays... You know they say, "The more Birthdays you have, the longer you live." We had company (The Ransom's) stop by on Sunday. We got to play the Trek to Zion Game again. This time Paul got to play too. NaDell won! While we were playing, we heard a knock at the door, it was a member of our Ward, he had looked in our mail box an there it was waiting. I know we checked the mail at least 10 times on Satuday, knowing there would be no mail on Monday. What did I make first with my REAL Vanilla??? Vanilla Pudding, of course! I put coconut in it and what goes best with Homemade Pudding...REAL whipped cream, and YES, I licked the beaters! The recipe comes from the book More Make a Mix Cookery by Karine Eliason, Nevada Harward, & Madeline Westover that I've had and USED forever! It was published in 1980. I'm happy that My Birthday week is over ~ I'm Tired from all the Celebrations... Next Tuesday is the BIG Day when Abigail arrives. Her Mom is getting a little bit excited, I think I am too! Our fourth Grand-daughter. We have 11 grandsons and two more coming. We love them all, just a little in-equity in the 'female' version of Crowther Grandchildren.

Design Wall Monday January 17, 2011

I have been busy trying to finish the UFO #6 between all the places I had to go last week. I only got about halfway. I am doing Free Motion on the Round Robin. It takes a lot of thought to do the Free Motion stopping and starting for each border/round and having only 5" of stitching space. This is my Progress on the Monochromatic Challenge. I'm going slow with a few distractions. Plus the fact I'm still thinking of how I want to use the Yellow strips. I took out one of the FQ's since it was too 'wild' looking. Some of these are pretty Bright. I've cut them into 2.5" strips. I have a few more thoughts and hope to have time before next Design Wall Monday to sew them together in some organized fashion. I'll have a few grandchildren to keep me busy next week so it's pedal to the metal on this project. I am not showing the Pink Quilt from last week since it is a surprise for DD #1. I have it ready for the final border, and to do that I'll have to go and visit my Quilt Buddy, Lynn. That's where the fabric is to make those borders. She brought me 1.5 yards to guild and it was enough for the 4 more blocks, setting triangles and pieced borders I did. I hope everyone is having fun doing the Blog hopping to see Design Walls. I've enjoyed reading all the comments on mine. Go Here to see more Design Walls.

Stash Report 1-16-2011

I have to include the Fat quarters x 12 (3 yds) that came to me for my Birthday and the 1 yard that my Secret Pal gave me for my Birthday this week. I also purchased a bit this week 1.5 yd for background or borders, 1 yard of Civil War fabric and 5 FQ's (1-1/8) for starting my new Block of the week with Barbara Brackman. I did use a bit this week also for 2 Civil War Blocks, finishing the top of Abigail Quilt and cutting the Monchromatic Challenge blocks. Used this week: 4.5 yards Used year to Date: 10.5 yards Added this Week: 7.75 yards Added Year to Date: 12.75 yards Net Used for 2011 2.75 yards I'm not in the negative this week. I was afraid I would be having my Birthday and starting the new Block of the week. I'll be using more when I put Abigail's quilt on to be quilted. I need to cut the backing from some of my STASH. Click Here to go see other Stash Reports.

It's my Birthday!

Look what the hubby brought in for me this morning... They didn't have the roses in my favorite color...it's the thought that counts right?I'm not sure about the NUTS, is that a hint that I'm CRAZY!!!? We had a quiet dinner at Taco Time in Tri-Cities last evening. Olive Garden had a 45 minute wait and that wouldn't leave us enough time to be to the Temple in time for the Ward Session. When I walked into the Changing room there was my Burbank Lunch Buddy, Pat Christensen! It was such a nice surprise to see her. It was her Birthday and I'd wanted to see her. Funny how I see my friends from all the places we have lived when I go to the Temple. I love it! That is a very good place to meet. We couldn't quit hugging each other. We haven't see each other since she returned from England over a year ago, she said. NO cameras in the Temple so no Picture. This is my Birthday Cake...my Visiting Teachers brought it for me when they came and Kidnapped me on Thursday. We got to go and see inside Karen's house that they are building. Really I've been CELEBRATING all week. This is what my Secret Pal at Quilt Guild Brought for me.

Thursday night at the Relief Society Dinner Wendy brought me this...is she trying to sweeten me up? And...I swapped out the Fat Quarters so I could mail out the packages for the Birthday on the 13th, so I got to see mine. This is just part of them. See those squares of Australian fabric? We have a swapper from Western Australia in our group. Don't know what I'll make with them, yet.

It's been a good mail week. I won this BAG from the New Year's Cyber sew-in. Heather sent it to me. She asked if I wanted Red or Purple...duh! PURPLE, Please!

Then on Friday when I was expecting a package from Arizona, there in my mailbox was this... more surprises from AUSTRALIA! a Calendar, some "Gum Tree" leaves and a nice card with Emus on it. I also got a card from Paul's parents. Hoping that AZ package comes today. The Facebook page has been busy all morning and I've received many phone calls already. I am feeling the Love... Thanks to all my Family and Friends! I've had my Birthday Smoothie. Now it's time to do what I want to do...SEW!

150 Anniversary of the Civil War

I have a new fabric that I have been collecting. See the 3 FQ's in the front of the picture? Those came to me in the Birthday Fat Quarter Swap that I hostess every year with my WASIQ on-line group. I asked for Civil War or 30's repros. I also have soem "thimbleberries" to add to the mix. I think I have enough now to make one of the Replica Quilts. I have purchased some of the Books with the Stories that go with each Block. "The Civil War Love Letters" and "The Civil War Diary Quilt". Both of these have small blocks like the Sylvia's Bridal Sampler. I'm not excited to make the 121 blocks needed for these quilts at the 5-1/2" size. I found out this year Barbara Brackman is doing a 8" Civil War Quilt -Block of the Week BLOG. 8" blocks are much more appealing to me and one block a Week is 'do-able' with all the things I have committed to do this year. I should be able to finish a set of 8" blocks with what I already have collected so I won't have to report new fabrics on my Stash Report. And this won't be officially a UFO until the end of the year, and that is only if I don't sew them into a flimsy right away. They are only on the second week so I not too far behind right now.

Dustin has set up this Flicker group if you want to see all of the blocks as they are finished in the Block of the Week. http://www.flickr.com/groups/civilwarquilts2011/

Here are a few Blogs I will follow doing the Civil War quilt- My Blogging Friends lead me astray frequently...

http://www.civilwarquilts.blogspot.com/

http://conniescrafts.blogspot.com/2011/01/civil-war-quilt.html

http://patspattering.blogspot.com/2011/01/civil-war-quilts.html http://tazziequilts.blogspot.com/2011/01/block-2-north-star.html Kathie blogs about Antique replica mini quilts- very inspiring. http://inspiredbyantiquequilts.blogspot.com/ I got inspired back in my first Design Wall Post HERE . I still have to cut into the fabric for the Monchromatic challenge. Too many quilts, so little time. I can make MINI quilts and Hand quilt them while I visit my new grandchildren, RIGHT??? Later today I got the 2 blocks done. It really doesn't take long to make a block.

I also found a blog that has a 16" block...

Thanks Nancy Rink Designs for the BOM. "Ode to the Blue & Grey" click to go see the block 1 and buy a kit to make it too. If you don't have the STASH to make this quilt, a kit would be a nice thing. I know I'm tempting you...

Design Wall Monday- January 10, 2011

Last week I succeeded in getting the UFO #6 OFF the wall and into the Quilting frame to quilt.

I'm so excited! I have a new granddaughter coming this month that needs a quilt, of course. It is still WINTER here in Washington State. We got more of the dreaded white stuff on Sunday. I didn't think I had one close to ready to finish for her. Then I remembered this one. Don't LOOK NaDell...It isn't on my UFO List for this year. Too bad the Monchromatic color chosen for January wasn't PINK.

It only needs the final border and I think something more than a BLOB-O-Border would be nice. I'll have to play with my EQ and see what I can dream up. Or I can always look at my WEEK-END Quilts book by Judy L... Of course I'm always open to suggestions in my Comments...

Click HERE to go to Judy L's Blog to see other Design Walls.

Sundays

I'm glad that I can get up and go to Church on Sunday Mornings this year. I complained most of last year about having to wait around all-day before going to Church. I don't have time to do my Sunday "family" Post earlier in the day, though. Today I had to set my alarm to get there on time. The "Nightowl" in me keeps me up to the strike of Midnight. I am always amazed to see the families with young children rushing in to take their seats. I sometimes miss those days, but remember thinking we were crazy! The children remember sitting on Row TWO in the Chapel. That was so we were in view of Paul on the stand and so they couldn't see the other children eating all their snacks. I grew up living across from the janitor of our Church building. They would tell me about the raisins, marshmallows, cheerios and various other things they had to pick out of the carpet in the Chapel at Church. I vowed to not be a mother who fed the kids to keep them quiet because of that. If they were at home would they be eating at that hour? I tried to train them by having them sit still at home on the couch after Church, if they didn't sit still during Church. That did a few things- it made them hate the couch, gave them a memory of their MEAN mother, and I learned to count to 3. I also got a chance to get their food ready without them all under foot. Here's a happier day sitting on that Couch...Christmas 1985. They would always help to set the table and fold the napkins. I don't make the elaborate Sunday Dinners like I used to when the children were at home. We no longer have that couch. It wouldn't fit in the front door here in Walla Walla so Paul took the sledge hammer to it. I bet the kids would have had fun doing that... We don't eat Popcorn for Sunday evening anymore either.

I do like to use the crockpot more than I did then. It's time for our Supper and I smell the Pork roast that I put in today... I enjoy the phone calls we get a chance to make on Sundays and the ones that we get from the children who 'Check-in". Sunday is a Special Day- different than any other. No Quilting/Sewing--- I do that the rest of the week.

Stash Report #2 January 9,2011

I can't believe it's been a whole week. I have used a bit of fabric! 1 yard- backing for a Sample Panel I quilted. .5 yard- Binding for Sample Panel Quilt 1 yard -Border and Binding fabric for the #6 UFO 2.5 yards- Backing for #6 UFO (2008 WASIQ Round Robin) _____________ Used this Week: 5 yards Used year to Date: 6 yards Added this Week:0 Added Year to Date:5 yards Net Used for 2011: 1 yard The Round Robin is on the frame and ready to FINISH the quilting before Guild this week. I am soooo happy to have this UFO almost done and the month is still not half over. Thanks to Judy L for all the encouragement. She is a great example of getting stuff FINISHED! Click HERE to go and see other Stash Reports in 2011.

My 2010 Favorite Quilt

I completed many quilts in 2010 but of all of them this is the one that is the most Beautiful! My quilting Buddy: Lynn Wilson and I designed this quilt for a Design contest at ANIMAS QUILTS using Jackie Robinson's "Roses" fabric line. It was our first time entering a Design Contest. This quilt is 1/4th of the original pattern we designed. My father grew red roses for my mother who loved them and I made this quilt in her memory. The Digi-Quilting - done by me. The pattern for the quilting is called "Heirloom Roses" block 2 and "Piano Rose Sash" in the Border.

I have entered it in the Weekly Themed Contests on the Quilting Gallery website. Please go and vote for your favorite. Voting is open Friday, January 7 though Sunday, January 9, 2011.

10'-ready to quilt full sized now!

I have expanded the Bernina Quilting table out to it's full length of 10 feet. I'm tired, and don't think I'm up to operating mechanical machinery today after the unintended all-nighter. I had to go to bed after I couldn't get the rachet assembly back together. I knew there was a trick to doing it and thankfully my husband woke when I crawled into bed. He said it was time for him to go to work anyway, so I got back up so he could help me. I had to make room all week by emptying the old Bias Tape cabinet from the Hancock Fabrics. It had over 40 bolts of fabric, some of which was my favorite "Quilter's Shades" fabric. That is now safely in a shallow tote under the Quilt Table. My UFO mini totes are under there also, lined up and ready for their Numbers to be called. Being on the STASH Report I'll be using more of the stash so the re-organizing of it has me ready to use some fabric that has been hidden. Part of what caused me to EXPAND the table now is #6 UFO. It will be too big for the 5' table, after I add the border, to get finished this month. I have two friends who are trusting me with their quilts too. I'm honored that they trust me... One will have the geometric squares on it with the Template and the other will be more free-hand. I have dreams of doing work like I've seen on some of my Quilty Blogs on the sidebar.

Design Wall Monday 1-3-2011

Judy, by way of her DH have chosen the lucky #6 for the UFO to be worked on for the month of January. I have my WASIQ Round Robin as my #6 UFO. This quilt was started in 2008. I think it has been aged long enough for lack of a final border and quilting. I started with the center being a view of the "Foothills" that I can see when I'm driving east on Hwy 12. The pink tree is to represent the Dogwoods that bloom every Spring here in Walla Walla. I'm not a big landscape quilter so this was an attempt at using fabrics that were like a landscape.

The ladies who worked on my rows were: Holly K, Kathy H, Sue L, Cindy J, and Sarah N. I had a lot of fun working on their rows. This is the first Round Robin I ever did! We called it a "Migrating Round Robin". It came back to me in September of 2008.

My 2nd UFO for January is the Buggy Barn Stars. I started thinking about making it back in October after the Buggy Barn ladies came to our local Quilt Festival in September. I have only a few (11) blocks made, so this one will take a little more time to complete. My vision of how it will turn out is still a Work In Progress. This picture was taken at the November Retreat at Royal Ridges. We will have to see how the blocks speak to me when I put them on the wall...

I think I might have a lot of fun doing the UFO Challenge this year. And the Monochromatic Challenge...That is going to be a small quilt, just in case my month gets Busier...Possibly from an idea in this BOOK by Kathleen Tracy. With these fabrics...or maybe some 30's or Civil War fabrics that I have coming in my Birthday FQ Swap. I have at least until the 15th of the month to decide. Click on the links at Judy L's Blog to see what other quilters are doing in the first week of 2011.