A Birthday... & Lesson #1 DONE!

Thursday was Busy with a trip to deliver a Birthday Towel to my OLDEST grandchild.  He has been a very good son taking care of his Mom while his Dad is working.  Making dinners and trying to keep his siblings happy. He's a great kid and I love to share my books with him too.  I left two of a new series that I thought he might enjoy. Author Lisa Mangum has written 3 so far. The Hourglass Door, The Golden Spiral, and the Forgotten Locket. I'm still reading the 3rd one.

I got home after shopping and visiting my Dear MIL in time to go learn to make Bobbin lace.  This was my first Lesson.  Next Lesson is a Snake Book-mark. I've been slowly collecting the equipment I need to learn this nearly LOST ART of making Lace. I got a stabbing pain in my back leaning over to do this.  Friday, I went looking for an adjustable table to help me not hurt when I'm working on my Bobbin Lace. I started out going to a Yard Sale and to a place in town that sells stuff from Estate sales.

 I found this table at SHOPKO- on SALE! See how it even tilts?  YEA no more pain in my back, I hope!!

Retreat Fun & Goodies!

I was excited to get there on Thursday.  I was the first of us who were assigned to the TREES Room to arrive so I got the BIG bed to myself. I had to take my Easy "Busy" Street to sleep under. All of the Bed and Breakfast is decorated with old quilts and old clothing and hats. I should have taken a picture of the 

Breakfast nook with it's aprons hanging on the walls behind the tables.

This was my set-up with my new Goose-necked LED (Jansjo) light from IKEA and my Sewing Mates Table.  The table is made for Featherweights but it fit my Janome. That was nice to know. 

The first night we had Show and Tell.

                                 Donna Kay's "Tuffett"            

                                                                                     Teri's Embroidered quilt for a friend.

                              Molly's "Cheeseburger" Easy Street    Center of Dawn's Mystery

                                Robin's Mystery                                Jean's Double Wedding Ring

                                  Molly's Applique posies                  Diane's "Moose"

                                      A sampler                                       Fun Stars
  Just a few of the 120 Lotto blocks made.            

         "Greedy Gift" that I brought home. 

         There was a Log Cabin pattern that I re-gifted! 

                                          Joy made us the pocket caddy on the left, Helen and Donna Kay brought us the Point Turner and a tiny pair of tweezers. The M & M's were my giftie. Every morning Kathy put out an OLD Quilting magazine for us. Teri gifted us with a set of SWAP Blocks from her UFO's and made us each the Microwave bowl pot holder.  In the center of the bottom step is a Tea Cup Pin Cushion that Diane made us.

Kathy and I went on a Walk early Friday morning down to the Blackbird Pond. 

 The scenery was so pretty, I had to take a couple pictures too.

  Dinner at SOUTH, a South American restaurant.
The food was OK. Authentic Tacos, Argentinian and Peruvian dishes.  I had Tortilla Soup, Chips and one of the Tiny Tacos. It was sure NOISY in this place and we had to wait a long time for our food.

Here's a Better Picture with all 16 of us!

Since I got home it's been mostly resting and getting back to REALITY...

Tuesday afternoon I decided to see how many blocks could make with the parts 

I had sewn for my Midnight Flight. There are 12 shown here. I have 13 total made. That's 1001 tiny pieces.

I still have more parts made to use, all the pieces that are cut will go into this quilt. 

I hope to make at least 24 Blocks.  Bonnie Hunter's pattern calls for 36 blocks.

       I am liking it so far!  I'm getting it done slowly...

I can use the 2.5" strips I haven't cut into squares for part of the borders.

Design Wall Monday- June 24, 2013

What a week/weekend I had!  This will take a couple posts.  Retreating in Leavenworth with my 

WASIQ (Washington State Internet Quilters) Group was SEW much FUN!

I realized while packing that I hadn't gone to this RETREAT since 2009 . 

Opps, I found another Posting HERE from 2010.

These are Blocks from 2005-2006 that were SWAPPED with this Group. After cutting all the 2.5" Blue sashings and sewing them on, I had to cut a different color to finish the sashings on two sides. I should have cut them more narrow, so I didn't run out. There were four more with Blue sashings so I put them in the center. I'm glad I found the Ziplock bag in time to take this project.

I put them up on the Design Wall outside at Retreat.  Many who saw them, remembered them and a few said, "I didn't get that one!" SO, I hurried to sew them together so they wouldn't disappear...LOL

 All sewn together and ready for top and bottom border to square it up more. 

Before I quilt this one I'll make a chart of who made each block to put on the label.

Our Fearless Group MOM bought a BIG bag of Crushed Walnuts shells and brought them to share. 

L-R: Dawn, Gaby, Me, Mel (Group MOM), Lou Ann, Kathy

We made these Chicken/Penguin pin cushions.

As usual I messed up my Log Cabins the first time. We needed two that were identical. 

Kathy said,  I cannot emphasize more, for chickens, who cares. Make the blocks as wonky as you want.  I had to try a 2nd time to make them right. so I made 2 Chickens.

Chain Piecing my Midnight Flight chevrons and Hsts.

 I took this picture of my parts and Bonus Triangles before I packed up Saturday evening

 to leave Sunday AM. This meant a LOT of drawing lines, stitching, trimming off 

at 1/4th inch and finger pressing.  I think I have enough parts to make a few more 77 piece Blocks.

My other project didn't get a picture taken... I finished 84 star points (using Marti's Templates) for the next big project that I'm re-making. This project and the original hasn't been shown on the BLOG yet...

Clicking HERE will take you to the Link-up with Patchworktimes

Be-Ribboned -FIXED and a Roadtrip

I was looking at my BLOG Tuesday evening and saw a BIG OPPS!

  One of the pinwheels in the center was turned wrong. I had to UN-Sew it and FIX it quick!  I changed the picture in the previous post so it is corrected.

This is how the Center is supposed to Look. 

 I had to look at both quilts side by side.

I am still writing the Pattern to submit to Accuquilt and possibly a Magazine. I chatted with Accuquilt online Tuesday instead of going out for my M & M Quilters day. I e-mailed pictures to them also.

I hope to finish the pattern writing soon and may be asking for TESTERS.

 Leave me a comment if you would like to Volunteer.

Wednesday, my Friend; Marilee and I went to visit a dear Friend in Lewiston, Idaho.  It was so nice to visit her and go out to Taco Time for Lunch.  She even took us to her favorite Fabric Store where this picture was taken. Our Prayers are with her this week!  

 Note: the thread on my sweater?  I must be a quilter...

I'm still entering each day to WIN the GEORGE Longarm Quilting Machine at APQS . 

The drawing will be sometime the week of July 1st.  

Design Wall Monday- June 17, 2013

The Big REVEAL happened at our Family gathering so now I can show my Blogging Friends.

I sewed all day Friday while my Family was out of the house and achieved my goal to have the 

2 Baby Girl Quilt tops to the flimsy stage.

First is "Katie's Choice"- the quilt made with scraps just like the one Bonnie Hunter just finished re-making for a class.  You can see her 2nd Sister's Choice by clicking on her name. I used Bonnie's FREE pattern and made 12 blocks.  The Neutrals are not my idea of scrappy usually. I'm getting better at random...

I made these last two blocks as leader/enders.

 I found this cute girl's Basketball fabric just like the boys Basketball fabric that was in Katie's Brother's quilt a few years ago.  I knew that it would be a good one to put in this quilt for the very Sports-minded dad.

With the whole quilt and border on.

I need to add one more border to bring it up in size so they can use it longer for the baby.

 Most of the re-make of my McCalls Challenge quilt was completed in a week's time.

I even had to do some unsewing, :/  I had to wait and get some Fusible to finish the flowers and wanted to get an opinion of which Go- Cutter DIE to use for them. 

 The picture above is how it was when the Wyoming family arrived EARLY Wednesday.  It isn't how I made the original. I realized once I had it all sewn and wondered why it was so small.

All the flowers are fused on and the first border is attached here.  The last border is also the sashing fabric.

 I pulled the colors for the Pinwheels from the border fabric.

I looked at this photo closer on Tuesday and saw a mistake I had to FIX.  SO glad I didn't leave it to be quilted at Thread and Bolts while I'm at Retreat.

Sunday was Father's Day, My Oldest Daughter's Birthday and Wedding Anniversary.  She asked me to make her an Apron and Skirt for the Pioneer Trek coming up this week.   I've been stalling on making them.  I told her she needed to fill out the forms for joining the DUP (Daughters of Utah Pioneers).  She thinks she is too busy already.  I know she is but I still want her to join.  Doesn't she make a great Pioneer?  This isn't the shirt she is wearing with it but it worked for her to MODEL for me. Her Aunt, my Sister in Law, bought her the New Bonnet for her when she visited Nauvoo.

  NaDell also called and asked for a pair of Pantaloons to go under all of this. I found a pair of PINK Seersucker pants I'd made for myself but not worn in a very long time.  I cut them off and stitched some elastic around the leg of them.  She didn't Model them for me. LOL.  The picture shows the Patch pockets I used on the apron better.  These two blocks were extra ones from my Sylvia's Bridal Sampler. I added Yellow on the back of the Bear Paw and Broken Dishes blocks before sewing them onto the apron.  She requested that it not be 'white'.  The Pioneers may have encountered both Bears and Broken Dishes on their Trek across the plains.

That's 2 of the "Get it Done" projects checked off my list for June. They will count for NewFo's as well. I'm just waiting my turn for them to get quilted before the Baby Girls arrive. 

I heard this morning she is only 7 weeks away...

 Go HERE to see more Design Wall Monday Postings.

Busy Boys!

Brant and his family arrived on Wednesday VERY EARLY in the morning.  It was almost 4:30 am 

when Brant and Tina brought their boys in to go to bed.  I stayed up working on the Baby Girl Quilts.  

Paul had to go to work by 3am so I didn't go in to disturb his sleep.

 After 4 hours of sleep their boys were awake and raring to go!  The first thing they did was eat cereal for Breakfast and then they went outside to pick my Strawberries.
I didn't think there would be too many.  Brant helped them find the berries hiding under the leaves. 

  Brant washed them and we put them in the fridge so we could go to the Whitman Mission. 

The day was pleasant and not too hot so it was the best time to go there. 

 First stop outside was the Teepee.  We walked around the Mission Site 

and listened to the story at each place.

 Next was the Covered Wagon- a Photo-Op time for Tina and Grandma.

 We made it to the top of the hill without as many stops as I had to take last August,YEA! I handed my camera to Brant, big mistake he took about 6 of me and the boys and a few of the view.

 His beautiful wife made it to the top too.  She was happy to see the drinking fountain there. 

The view around the Walla Walla Valley is so pretty from there. 

Heading down the oither side from the Whitman Monument the boys asked their dad if they all had to walk down the hill? He laid down and told them they could roll down the hill...Funny Dad!
The littlest boy had to copy his silly father, but he found some grass to roll instead of laying on the pavement.

Grandpa got home in time to take a quick walk to the Park. I ran to the store to get potato salad, I was too tired to take the time to make it. We ate Hot dogs and Steaks Paul BBQ-ed on his new Propane grill. 

Jes, Janessa and their boys left Colorado around the time that Paul went to work on 

Wednesday AM. They drove 17 1/2 hours. 

They came by for a short visit after we had eaten. Brant and Tina's boys went to bed early.  We met at Pioneer Park after they woke up on Thursday. We spend a lot of time walking to and from the Park when the grandchildren come.  I took Bubbles and the boys had fun running around and chasing the squirrels while the grown-ups visited. Janessa used her phone to take some pictures there. 

 I have to copy them from Facebook. My phone was charging.

She did a good job getting the action shots of the boys running and climbing, sliding and playing.

Thursday we has more boys come over to find Strawberries...

I've been sewing like crazy and didn't take time to BLOG!  

I woke up to my Army son telling Brant's boy to tickle my foot. He drove all night to come and surprise me.

It's FLAG DAY and I had to post the picture of Grandpas Flag now that it is in the case. 

 Jeff and Brant re-folded it.

I stayed home while Brant and Tina went to Hermiston and Tri-cities to visit family. NaDell's Birthday is on Father's Day and I promised to make her some things to wear on the Pioneer Trek. I've been so busy making the baby Girl quilts I hadn't' gotten to the Skirt and Apron she asked for.  

Tomorrow is our Big Family day to gather in a different park and take family pictures.
It's been a long time since we have had a Professional Picture taken.
There will be 16 of the 17 Grandchildren and ALL of my Children and their spouses.

I hear there is a Kickball game planned too.