Behind....

I am behind. I've not been quilting. I'm missing my sewing room. And, it looks like it will be a while before I can get back in there. :(

It's been one of those weeks. We've had people in our house everyday. And, believe me, I'm not complaining....except for those repair men. Don't really like them. But, otherwise, it's been dear friends here, and THAT I love.

But the down side is that it leaves less time for sewing and quilting.

I know I will get back to sewing and I'll get all caught up at some point in the near future. I just wanted to let you know what's happening.



And, here's a public service announcement:: Get your dryer vent checked.

About a year ago, shortly after we moved here, we bought a new washer and dryer. The high efficiency ones. Love them. But the dryer never seemed to work right. I was always having to run the load a second time. The dryer would cut off before the load was really good and dry.

I checked the trouble shooting part of the booklet that came with the dryer, adjusted this and that, nothing seemed to work. I thought I just needed to learn my new dryer. But the problem never got resolved.

So this week, we called the repair man out to look at our dryer. He discovered that the problem is that they dryer is not vented properly because the vent in the wall needs to be cleaned out. (Our dryer is located in the center of the house, not on an outside wall.)

Tomorrow, a man is coming to clean out the vent in the wall. Since we replaced the flexible vent hose, we thought we were fine. (And, we do clean check our flexible hose and clean around and under the dryer yearly.) But I never even thought of the wall vent. This house was built in the 80's and doubt anyone has thought to have the vent in the wall cleaned. I know I wouldn't think of it....I didn't think of it.

So, if your dryer is taking longer to dry, if it seems to really heat up when you use it, check your hoses and venting system. They may need to be cleaned or replaced.


Happy Quilting!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Amazing!!!!!!!!!

Thank you so much for praying!!!
We're jumping in PUDDLES here in Texas!!!!!

Please pray......

for our friends, who live about 20 miles northwest of us (as the crow flies). They lost everything they own in a Texas wildfire. They have a large family of 9 children.... Two different churches are collecting items, gift cards and cash for the family. If you are interested, I can pass on the information.

And, today, we got word from two more families that they are evacuating as I write this.

Things here in Texas are so very dry and there are dozens of fires burning across the state.

Here is a map of the current wildfires in Texas.....

Pics of area fires.....

We are all praying for rain......just enough to put out the fires. We can't even remember the last time we had a good soaking rain.

Dina's Churn Dash

Here is a little quilt my sister in law made for me.

It's a Reproduction Mini. LOVE this one. Diane pieced it and I quilted and bound it.

Happy Quilting!!!!!!!!!!

Time to spill the beans......

Guess who is going to be a big brother?????



Yes, my grandson. His daddy and mommy are going to have another baby in November. My daughter in law tells me we are going to have a Thanksgiving baby!!

We are beyond excited!!!!

Hand Dyed Baby Quilt

Here is the hand dyed fabric version of the Turning Twenty Around the Block. This is called the "lowfat" version of the quilt.



Made with my sister in law's hand dyed fabrics......neither pic does justice to the fabrics. The colors are somewhere between the two pics. Ugh. I can't stand my picture taking abilities.

Happy Quilting!!!!!!!!!

Paisley Rose Quilt

Another top......made a long time ago......

I can't remember the fabric line I used, but I'm sure someone will recognize it. I made this quilt using the pattern, Turning Twenty Around the Block. It's an easy pattern, and while I'm not totally in love with it, I think it's fine. I think I'm just a traditional quilter and would rather stick with more traditional quilts. I'd like to get this one quilted, but like ALL the others, it will have to wait in line. :)

This quilt is 79x95. It's between a full sized and a queen sized quilt.

The first pic shows the colors of the fabric more accurately.

Happy Quilting!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Simple Things Quilt Along....

Here are my fabric choices for the Simple Things Quilt Along. I chose to use my Christmas fabrics! I had about 40 different "darks and mediums" and probably 10 different "lights". This pic is of the "darks and mediums".

The lights (not shown) won't work for the quilt top, but I'm planning on using them for the back. They are really cute little prints, but they are busy, and because the darks/mediums are so busy, I needed a calmer light print for the background.

I'm not much into solid white or cream, so I chose this off white with a light red print (bought special for this quilt) for the background. I think it's going to be cute. And, I pulled this red from my stash, and am thinking of using it for the inner border.



I have a couple of fabrics that might work for the outer border, but I like to keep my options open and decide once the top is made. I'm certainly not cutting any borders until the top is complete, that way I can audition fabrics.

I've had most of these fabrics for a L O N G time. I bought them and then, because they were so different and didn't seem to work together, I never used them. Now that I'm all about scrap quilts and I understand value and such so much better, I can finally use them. I think this is going to be a cute quilt. :)

Visit Carol's blog, Brown Quilts, to see a picture of the quilt we will making! You may have to scroll through some postings to find the quilt. :)

The quilt is all cut out and I'm just waiting for the first block pattern to be released. If you haven't joined yet, there is still time. Cutting the fabric didn't take too long. Maybe you have some Christmas fabrics in your stash that you can use.

Happy Quilting!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Saturday in the Sewing Room

It's a quiet day around our house today, and so I'm spending my Saturday in the sewing room. I am working on piecing my Nine Patch Utility Quilt! All the blocks are done and I just need to get the top put together.



I have a couple of other projects lined up once that is done. I need to piece the backing for my Homespun Stars quilt and then I'll need to complete the first step in the Simple Things Quilt Along. I'll show you my fabric choices later.....finally using some fabrics I've had for YEARS! :)

Happy Quilting!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wanna trade????

Going through those old quilt tops in the cabinet, I came upon these.....

I made them just because they were fun and I thought that they would be nice little quilts to give as gifts. I fused them down and, then I tried to machine applique them. Oops. I originally made four of them. The one I tried it machine applique on, got thrown away. It was SO bad.

Now, these three are left.

Would you like one???

I propose a trade.

Send me some pics or links of your machine applique work (just making sure you can do nicer work than I did!!), and I'll send these three to you. You can machine applique them down for me, keep one for yourself and send the other two back to me. Your choice of which one to keep.

These panels measure 9 1/2 x 15 1/2 inches.

Let me know if you are interested.

Happy Quilting!!!!!!!!!!!

Quilt tops.......

So, let me ask you a question. How many quilt tops do you have?? Unfinished, unquilted. :)

I have quite a few. And, yesterday I got curious. I took them all out of the cabinet and took a look. I photographed them (not great pics) and measured them. I wrote it all down and whether they needed backings made or borders added on. No excuses for not getting to them now, right??

Oh my!

I hate to admit how many tops I have...and I don't think I will. :) I'm too embarrassed.

How about I show you a couple of them over the next few weeks......and we'll pretend that I'm doing a quilt show???

Here is one I did from Bonnie Hunter's website. It's called Basket Weave Strings. This quilt is 67x73.

And, here is another top.... Another Scrappy Sixteen Patch. Can you tell I love squares??? :) No pattern used, just a scrap quilt that I hand pieced. Can you believe that? Nuts. :D

This quilt is 75x86.

I have enough tops to last me a lifetime.....I'll never run out of tops to quilt. But, do you really think I'm going to stop making tops. NO WAY! :)

Happy Quilting!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Beginnings???

Humility????

Hideous??

or perhaps I'll simply call this one "My First Quilt".

In 1992, my sister-in-law, taught me the basics of hand piecing. Once I made a couple of blocks, I decided it was time to make a quilt. We didn't have much money, and I really wasn't sure I was going to like this whole "quilting thing", so I used what I had. Mostly cotton fabrics that I had sewn clothing, curtains, tablecloths, shower curtains, sleep shorts, dresses, and other such stuff with.

I made a nine patch block, alternating with a "plain" block. But honey, these aren't really plain blocks. They are LOUD blocks, just like the fabrics found in the nine patches. The quilt is not quite as hideous to me as it once was. It actually has a bit of charm for me. And, I love looking at the fabrics in it and remembering all the projects I had made, the clothing my kiddos wore.



I never quilted it, but I think I will someday soon. It wouldn't take long and it would be a fun quilt to snuggle under and laugh at with my kids. I know one day they will probably fight over this quilt.....as homely as it is.

Happy Quilting!!!!!!!!!

Borders done!

I'm really happy with this quilt!

Special thanks to my Dear Sister-in-law,

Diane, at Dyed Quilting!!!!! She is the one who helped me take the original pattern found in the book Amazingly Simple Star Quilts, and make the quilt a bit larger. I'm more into twin or full sized quilts for cuddling with. :)

Now that I've finished piecing this quilt, I think I'll move on to piecing those nine patches I started playing with a few weeks ago. I have almost 50 made already. I pulled more strips from my Scrap User's System, and have them ready to piece together.

Any ideas for a setting?? I'm thinking of alternating with plain blocks, no borders. More like our grandmother's used to make. Kind of like a utility quilt??

And, I have to choose a quilt to start hand quilting.....I have these two choices up first.

Homespun Stars

or Spider Web

I have the backing already made for the Spider Web quilt, but I still have to remove some papers before I can start quilting. Ick. And, the Homespun Stars quilt doesn't have a backing ready, but I think I can do that pretty quickly.

Perhaps this afternoon I can piece the backing for the Homespun Stars quilt and maybe get it basted tomorrow??? Then I can work on removing papers from the Spider Web quilt in the evening while I watch television and have the it ready for quilting next.

Sounds like I've made a decision. :)

Happy Quilting!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hopscotch Quilt......

is done!!!! Woot!

I took my quilt out this afternoon to get a quick pic. As soon as the washer is empty, it's going in, so it can get all wrinkled. My favorite quilty look. :)



Now, to decide on which quilt to start hand quilting next!

Happy Quilting!!!!!!!!!!!!

Simple Things Quilt Along

I read Carol's blog, Brown Quilts. Thursday she announced that she and Kelly were going to do a Quilt Along. I love the quilt they are making and I was so tempted! I have so many quilts in progress and even have ideas and fabrics pulled for a couple of tops. I really didn't think I should jump into another top.

And, then I read Darlene's blog. Darlene had lost her mojo and was feeling inspired by this Quilt Along. I was so happy for her and then before I knew it, I was caught up in the excitement and told her she was making me rethinking it.

Now, I'm afraid, I have to do this quilt along! Oh my. Like I don't have enough on my plate over here. :)

This is all Darlene's fault! LOL

I've got to start pulling fabrics!!! This is going to be fun. I really enjoyed the last quilt along I did.

Happy Quilting!!!!!!!!

Borders

Yay!! I had a few minutes this evening to play with my plaids. Here are the choices I had to work with.

And, these are the ones I chose.

I even had time to cut them and lay them out to admire my choices. :) They aren't sewn on yet, but it shouldn't take long!

Oh yeah, I'm loving this quilt......

And, it looks like it may be the weekend before I get to show my Hopscotch Quilt. I still have a tiny bit of work to do on it, maybe 2 hours of work???

Happy Quilting!!!!!!

You gotta know I'm quilting.....

I really am. I've been hand quilting on my Hopscotch Quilt and I'm almost done. I can't wait to show you pics. I'm really loving it.

And, I've made a few more nine patches. I'm thinking I need to start auditioning fabrics for the alternating block. I'm doing a simple plain block. But, I do reserve the right to change my mind! LOL

OH, and guess what came in the mail yesterday??? Plaid fabrics!!!! Oh my! They are lovely. I'll show pics of those too! Looks like I might be able to get some borders on my Homespun Stars quilt this weekend! Woot!

But, for today....no sewing for me. I'm off to get a hair cut and then this afternoon, a trip to get Dear Younger Daughter's teeth cleaned. Ugh. Three to four trips a year for that since she has braces! Have to keep those teeth healthy!! House work in between since the end of this week is going to be busy with friends coming over! Fun stuff!!!! :)

And, finally, Theresa asked about quilt shops in the Spring Texas area. I would have sent her a private message, but she is a no-reply blogger. Here are the four I know of. If anyone knows of any others, please let me know.

GRS Creations and Fabrics
302 Main St # A
Spring, TX 77373-8374

Quakertown Quilts
25823 Budde Road
The Woodlands, Texas

The Needle Nest
2219 Sawdust Road
The Woodlands, TX 77380

The Hen House
5701 Louetta Road Suite 200
Spring, TX 77379-7928


Happy Quilting!!!!!!!!!!!!