longarm quilting · machine quilting · quilt top · quilting · quilts · stash busting

Sunday Stash Report, 8-31-08


This week I did not buy any fabric.  And I even went to a fabric store yesterday!  The only thing I bought was a pattern for a quilt with chickens on it.  I love going to that store, though (Sands Fabrics in Pampa).  There are always some beautiful quilts hanging there to see…some pretty longarm eye candy, too. 

I have used one yard from my stash for the memorial quilt.  I now have the top together, except for the outside border.

I used 1.5 yds this week making those little jewelry/notions bags I blogged about in the previous post.  I made these two today.

So zero yards added this week, and 2.5 yards busted. Year to date:

  • Incoming 83 yards
  • Outgoing 95.25 yards
  • Total busted 11.25 yards

I’m still going in the right direction!  I’m determined to end this year with a positive total.  My fabric is falling off the shelves in my closet. 

I finished the repair work on my storm at sea binding, and am back to stitching.  That will be a 2008 finish before long.  I just piddled around, back and forth, between projects today.  My seasonal allergies are in full bloom today.  I couldn’t get far from a kleenex today.  I broke down and started back on the prescription nasal spray today.  I also made these sand tarts today:

Did you get to do something you love today?  I hope so!  I’m looking forward to another day off from my day job tomorrow.  Enjoy your labor day!

daily life · longarm quilting · machine quilting · quilting · quilts · sewing · stash busting

A Small Thursday Thump :-)


I have one small thump today.  I’ve been stitching away in the evenings, stitching down the binding on my storm at sea quilt.  I rounded the third corner last night, so pleased with how good it’s looking, only to notice a funny looking spot in the binding fabric.  Upon closer inspection, I discover it’s a small slit in the fabric.  Great!  Next, I start looking to determine how much I am going to have to detach, so that I can replace that piece of binding, when all the way down that edge, and around the last corner, I see a snag in the binding fabric.  Of course, both of these flaws are on the outside of the binding.  Couldn’t have landed on the part that’s going to be closed up into the quilt, nope, right on the outside layer.  So instead of stitching, I’m now unstitching.  I don’t like unstitching.  I like the doing part of quilting, not the undoing.  Oh well, like I said, small thump.  Minor setback.  Just an aggravation.

I have had a few write and ask me about my test results.  I meant to post about that Sunday, and forgot.  I have nothing really new to report.  I never heard back from my doctor, so I went to the hospital and got copies of my reports and read them myself.  The MRI on my c-spine, mentions some “concentrical disc bulging” and some “mild facet degenerative changes and hypertrophy”.  I think the one on my brain was fine, except they said in the report they  injected me with contrast dye, which they didn’t.  Called the hospital about that, to make sure it was really my brain…lol.  I think that’s probably just a med. transcriptioner mistake…you know, just automatic verbage that they didn’t delete.  The only thing that I could pick out on the blood work was the high red blood count, that the doctor mentioned when he did call me, but the followup report test didn’t seem to show anything unusual.  The lupus test and hormone results were on the same report.  That report had me listed as a 42 year old male.  Soooo….not sure what I think of that.  I haven’t called the lab…I was pretty disgusted at that point, and fed up with the whole ordeal. 

In the meantime, I have been having my husband, or son, whichever is handy, apply some pressure to the muscles around my shoulder blade, to keep working on those pressure points between massage appts.  And, I’ve been putting an ice pack on it every night while I’m sitting in bed stitching and watching t.v.  I don’t know if that is making a difference or not, but I have felt much better this last week.  Much less pain in that area.  It’s been great to have some relief!  And maybe it’s because some of you have said prayers for me.  Thank you for that! I believe in the power of prayer.  I’ve been saying them for me, too.  I felt even better after my massage therapist, and chiropractor got through with me on Tuesday.  I’m starting to think that maybe a lot of it is repetative muscle injury.  Maybe from being on computers too much all day, and those muscles back there are getting screwed up, and pulling everything else out of place.  I’m not giving up on getting better.  That is why I haven’t been blogging as much, though…I’m trying to lessen my time at the keyboard and mouse.

I finished the quilting on the Chinese coins baby quilt.  I worked on it during lunch Monday, and after I got home.  I’ll post pics of it when I get it all finished.  It came out really cute, though. 

I have gotten two more rows of the first memory quilt finished.  And I found this great tutorial , on Debby Maddy’s blog, while blog surfing.  Thank you for sharing it, Debby.  I had fun giving it a try, and I think this is a great gift project.  I am sure I will be digging through my fabric stash to make a few more of these. 

So how is your week going?  Have you taken time to do something you love?

quilting · quilts

Just Us Quilters – Where did it go??


Ok, I know several of us signed up on the “Just Us Quilters” list, hosted by Nikki.  When I click the link to go visit the site, it says that blog has been removed, as has her other blog, Nikki’s Ventures.  Anyone know why or where it went?  Or if it’s coming back?  Just curious…it was a great list, and I enjoyed browsing the blogs on it.  If it’s not coming back, I want to take the link out of my sidebar.

longarm quilting · machine quilting · quilting · quilts

Wonderful Wednesday Mail Surprise!


Teresa! Thank you so much!  What a sweet surpise the mail brought today.  I’ve wondered what these taste like for a long time!  Now I know…yum! I thank you, and my family does, too. 🙂  And yes, they made it just fine, with no melting.  You really, really made my day.  Hugs to you!!

I also have a cute little swallow pic to share with y’all today.  This is the newest little batch of fledglings.  This is what they look like when it’s raining outside. 

I wish they didn’t make such a big mess, right at my front door, but I don’t have the heart to make them leave. 😦

I must get back to quilting! I picked up a small customer job, but it’s gonna take a fair amount of time.  It’s a rush job, to be shown at the next guilt meeting, as part of their challenge. I’ve been praying that everything goes smooth sailing on this one!  Sew far, sew good, but I’ve barely gotten started.

daily life · longarm quilting · machine quilting · quilt top · quilting · quilts · sewing · stash busting

Another W.O.B. Bites the Dust


Yesterday, I just felt the need for that satisfaction that comes from finishing something.  So, after I finished the quilting on the Oz quilt, I pulled one of my quilts that has been waiting on binding, Greg’s courthouse steps quilt.  The sad part, is that this one was Greg’s Christmas present last year.  Well, at least he will be using it before Christmas this year.  I did the binding completely by machine, so I could get it all done in one day, plus added the label.  I much prefer to attach my binding to the front of my quilts, by machine, then do the finishing stitching to the back by hand, because they look so much better.  I do a good job on those.  This one, I attached to the back, by machine, then flipped it over, and stitched it to the top, also by machine.  This is a technique I am still trying to perfect.  But in this case, done is good, hubby is happy, and so am I.  That gets two of my w.o.b.’s done this month.  Woohoo!  I used 2/3 of a yard for the binding, and that is my stash busted amount for this week.  Total incoming for the week is zero.  YTD total busted is 5 & 5/12 yds.  (I’m not ashamed to admit I had to use a free online fraction calculator to come up with that amount…lol).

I woke up to a beautiful, rainy day this morning.  And it has not stopped.

I’m loving it! I’m piddling around on laundry, worked on the memorial quilt, and just enjoying some down time.  I’m having the next best thing to a pajama day.  Nice comfy sweats & a big, sloppy t-shirt, with fuzzy house shoes day.

Yesterday, was cool & cloudy.  I’m glad I got out to the garden to harvest.

Who else has really enjoyed watching Michael Phelps make history?  I am officially now a Phelps Phan.  He seems like such a nice guy.  Congratulations, Michael!

I conclude my post today, with a couple pics of the first Olympic hero in my life.  My Uncle Randy, another really nice guy.  I was born in 1966, right between his Olympics, and named after him.  I had asthma really bad, and would get so sick at times.  He would come over sometimes, and sit up with me at night, when I was a baby, so my parents could get some sleep. 

Silver medal, Tokyo Olympics, 1964
Silver medal, Tokyo Olympics, 1964
Gold medal winner, Mexico City, 1968
Gold medal winner, Mexico City, 1968

 

This post has been quite a hodge podge of topics!  Hope you are enjoying your Sunday as much as I am mine.

longarm quilting · quilt top · quilting · quilts

Simple


Suzanne has a post on her blog today about simple quilting.  Sometimes a simple piecing pattern is the right choice.  Here is my start on the first of two memory quilts commissioned by a family.  The squares are cut from shirts that belonged to to their 14 year old brother, who was tragically lost in an auto accident 7 years ago.  The quilts will be a gift to their mother.  What an honor to be trusted with such a special project.

This is  what I’ve been working on this week, along with trying to finish up a custom quilting job that has been on my machine waaaayyyyy too long. 

TGIF!!

daily life · longarm quilting · quilting · quilts · stash busting

I’ve Been Busy This Week


But not necessarily quilting.  My stash report is unchanged from last week.  None in, none out.  I have almost finished cutting the squares from the plaid shirts for the first of the two memory quilts I’m making.  I also finished a long overdue binding.  YEA!!

I made this quilt two years ago, and played all over it with fantasy freehand quilting, inspired by Nichole Webb & Jamie Wallen.  Many of you have seen this one before, so I will spare you the pics.  If you’ve not seen it, and would like to see some closeups of the quilting, there are a ton of pics in this webshots album, http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/album/550151887DlpMBr.  I even got a label made and attached.  It is FINISHED!

It was a really busy week at my day job, so by the time I got home most days, I was pretty tired.  But otherwise, I’m feeling much better than I had been the three weeks prior.  I had my MRI yesterday morning, on my head & cervical spine.  I’ve not heard anymore from my doctor yet, which leads me to think that nothing else has shown up in the other lab work, and he has nothing new to tell me and is waiting for all the results to come in. 

While I have been feeling better, I decided it was time to work on some long neglected tasks around here.  Remember I textured & painted my entryway last year?  It was right before I ended up in bed for five days with severe muscle spasms in my back…well, I’ve had the paint for the rest of the living room, but have been afraid of triggering another spasm attack.  I started on it last weekend.  I am doing only one wall at a time.  This is a bit of the entryway…The color isn’t exactly true.

This is the paneling in our living room…yuk.

A bit of wall I haven’t painted yet, by the fireplace.

The wall I painted this weekend, next to the other side of the fireplace.  Isn’t this going to look much better?

I’m going to have to get some new switch & outlet covers.  It sure brings the fireplace out and makes it more of a focal point in the room.  Wonder how long it will take me to get the remaining walls done…I also spent some time on some much needed cleaning and reorganizing.  I even pulled a few of my quilting books and will take them to one of my friends at work tomorrow, to see if she would like to have them.

I’m looking for a good steam press…any advice on a good brand would be appreciated!  Have a great week!

longarm quilting · machine quilting · quilt top · quilting · quilts · stash busting

Sunday Report, 8-3-08


  • I used 16.75 yard total this week.
  • I bought 17 yards
  • YTD total used is 4.75 yards

Yes, I fell off the wagon this week, but busted enough to not lose too much ground.  Now, I’m NOT buying any more fabric the rest of the year!  No, really, I mean it.  I do.  What are you laughing at?  I’m serious.

Ok, so what did I buy?  32 fat quarters, at 40% off, and then I ordered some more from Thousands of Bolts.

Purty, huh?

What did I bust? I finished my dad’s top, and pulled 9.25 yards for the backing.  This is going to be one of those “quilting makes the quilt” tops.  It’s just flat right now, but I think I will love it once it’s quilted.

I also finished the top for a commissioned baby quilt, made the backing, and cut the binding.  I used a Chinse Coins pattern I picked up from www.quiltintia.com.  There’s lots of Chinese Coins patterns out there, and I could’ve figured out how to make it without a pattern, but I’m lazy sometimes, and just don’t want to do all the math and fabric figuring myself.  Quiltin’ Tia has several simple little patterns like this, where they have all the yardage figured, etc., and permission on the pattern to use it for personal use or profit.  Just don’t share copies of the pattern.  I pulled all the fabric for this little quilt from my stash.

More test results back, and my estrogen levels were too low.  The MRI got rescheduled, because the hospital forgot to get an authorization number from my insurance.  Still waiting on some of the other blood work to come back.  I am feeling better today, though. 

I’ve started working on one of two commissioned memory quilts, made from the shirts of a 14 year old boy, that was killed in an auto accident 7 years ago.  One will be a t-shirt quilt.  The one I’m working on right now, is going to be simple squares cut from his plaid button up shirts, joined with a neutral sashing, with a border of the same sashing fabric.  The boy’s three surviving siblings are having them made for their mom.  I have to kind of turn my brain off a bit while I’m cutting up the shirts. 

How many of you remember ‘Mater Man?  I used him as the subject of my first attempt at an art quilt.  And I used my newly dyed fabrics for him.  Try not to laugh too hard.

A stressful moment from the week involved a large toad.  I saw him by a drain pipe at the hospital when I went for testing.  He was hurt pretty bad, but not dead.  It was apparent that he was just suffering a slow death.  I will spare you the details, but I did not leave the hospital without him, and his suffering was soon over. 

I did have to cut my big sunflower and bring it in, and the blooms have continued to open.

Thanks for dropping by! Have a great week!

longarm quilting · machine quilting · quilting · quilts · stash busting

Midweek Snippets


I’ve mentioned that I’m taking an online art quilting class.  One of the class projects involves dying my own fabric with fabric paint.  I can now see why so many people do this.  It’s fun!  These four little pieces are all I have done, and they are for a still life assignment.  Mine will involve tomatoes and jalapenos, therefore, the red/orange/yellow/green scheme.  The one really wild one was just for fun and I threw in some of every color I had.

This next pic is just for fun, and for Gayle.  I found a neat moth on my patio wall. 

This pic gives an idea of it’s size.  Anyone know what kind it is? BTW, my fingernails aren’t “dirty”, that is fabric paint under them…I used gloves, but had taken them off, and forgot and handled my fabrics while they were still very wet.  That stuff is messy!

I did see my doctor on Monday, and he is putting me through a bunch of tests.  We have the first round of results and are waiting on some more to come back, a couple he is doing more followup on.  I had three vials of blood drawn Monday, and a series of xrays.  The bloodwork looks good so far, except my red blood count is actually elevated, and he is investigating that further, so another vial drawn yesterday.  He said he also ran test for B-12, hormone levels, and lupus, and those results aren’t back yet.  He said the xrays show that I have a rib on the upper right side that appears to have been cracked or broken at some time, and we are going to look further into that.  He has ordered a bone mass density, which I will have tomorrow morning.  Saturday morning, I am having an MRI of my head and, I believe, the upper back.  I raised my right shoulder up and down in his office, and it made lots of noise for him, and he could put his hand on my back and feel it “popping” also.  So I was very glad that I could actually “show” him what I was talking about. 

Did y’all hear a loud crash earlier this week…sometime Tuesday afternoon?  That would have been me falling off the “not buying fabric wagon”….LOL!  Y’all knew it was gonna happen, didn’t you?  There will be more about that in my Sunday report.  🙂  But, there will also be some stash usage to report…I have made some quilting progress this week, in spite of my pain. 

Hope your week is going great!

longarm quilting · machine quilting · quilt top · quilting · quilts · stash busting

Stash Report, 7-27-08


I stayed strong and did not buy any fabric.  I did buy assorted other items, including Isacord embroidery thread, some applique supplies, and some patterns, but no fabric.

I busted 3 yards this week.  One on the inner border of my dad’s log cabin, and I gave away 2 more.  The recipient doesn’t know they are getting them yet.  🙂 

  • 66 yards in ytd
  • 71 yards out ytd
  • 5 yards total stash busted (small, but going in the right direction!)

I have not had a great week, physically.  Not feeling well, ribs & shoulder hurting a lot, hands & fingers hurting, as well as hips & knees.  Also, had a headache and extreme tiredness,  along with all this.  I have an appt. with my doc tomorrow, and I hope I can keep my resolve and make him really listen to me, because something isn’t right.  It may just be some kind of arthritis, but it’s time to try harder to figure it out.  Anyway, I still managed to keep up with my lessons for the onling art quilting class I’m taking.  And over the last two days, I sewed the inner portion of my dad’s log cabin together.  I did manage to make a little more progress on the custom job that’s loaded on the machine, but with my back issues, I didn’t do much on it. 

I’ve been anxiously waiting for this to happen! And finally this morning…

Giant Sunflower
Giant Sunflower

This next shot is just to show you how tall it is.

I can’t wait to photograph it in the dark!

Earlier this week, Theresa awarded me the Arte y Pico award.  Thank you for thinking me worthy, Theresa.

This lovely statue is called the “Arte y Pico” award which was created to be given to bloggers who inspire others with their creative energy and talents no matter whether it be in the form of writing, artwork, design, interesting material, or contributions to the blogger community. When a blogger receives this award it is considered a “special honor” and, once presented to you, it is to be passed on to at least 5 other bloggers who meet the criteria.

I know this little award has been making the rounds lately, so I am going to try to pick five that I don’t think I’ve seen awarded yet, whose blogs I enjoy.  Gayle, Terri, Jan, Sally, and Jacquie, consider yourselves awarded!