Announcement and Busy Hands

Here is the formal announcement: My son has proposed and his girl has accepted! They are engaged!!! Yippee!!!

A pic of the lovely couple a few days after the engagement.... They are two wonderful people and I can't wait to see where the Lord takes them on the journey together.

Congrats Josh and Kristin!

I've been trying to keep my hands busy (in my fabric that is), but life sometimes gets in the way!!

Here are a couple of things I've been working on.

I got the top of my Reproduction Four Patch done. Added a red border. Now, I just have to decide which blue fabric to pull from stash for the outer border.



Someone asked me who I was making that quilt for....well, I really like it and don't want to give it away. I love reproduction fabrics, ya know. But, I don't need another table quilt or wall hanging. So, I decided, it's going in my "Grandma's Hope Chest". This hope chest is not intended to pressure my kids into having children before they are ready. But, my first three kiddos were born in 3 1/2 years. So, when the grandchildren start coming in.....I have a feeling there will be one after the other! So, I'm adding cute baby quilts to my stash of "Grandma's Hope Chest". PS.....don't tell my kids! They would be mortified!!! LOL

I purchased some charm squares from the Shangi-la collection a while back and had also purchased some yardage of the reds in the collection. I've been thinking about what to do with them and here is what I decided on. I found this quilt on QuiltTownUSA quite a while back and fell in love with it's simplicity. It's called Child's Play.

Here are a few of the nine patches I've been working on. And, the fabric I chose for the alternate squares. White...to more saturated reds.


I still have that secret project that I'm working on, but it's a long term one.....and it's secret, so no pics! Just a little tease.

An update on Hurricane Ike. Dear MIL is still without power today. She's been a real trooper though! No complaining. She did come over and bathe, wash clothes and have a hot meal. She would be here with us the entire time, but her pooches need her and we aren't really set up for doggy duty! Fortunately, she's just about 20 minutes from us, so she can come for a visit any time! She'll be here for dinner Saturday..... I looked online and they aren't expecting her power restored until Sunday. It's been moved a couple of times though, so she's not expecting it. Tomorrow will be two weeks for her! Poor dear.

I'm off to sew a bit and to count my blessings. I'm SOOOO grateful to have power and most especially AC. Mosquitoes are so bad right now, no one wants to open doors and windows!

Happy Quilting and remember, Count Your Blessings!!!

Inside the mind of a quilter......

Ok, beware. I am admitting how I operate here. This is how things fly in this quilter's sewing room. This is an admission, but please tell me I'm not the only one who thinks this way.

If you've been reading my blog, you know that I've been working on hand piecing these blocks.

Lovely Double Four Patch Blocks....for Dear Younger Son's graduation (he's 19, almost 20, but who cares if it's a bit late).

So, I get to the end of container of precut fabric and there are just little pieces left. So, I recount the blocks and yes, I am one short. Ughh.

No problem....really....I'll just dig through the cabinet and pull out the containers of reproduction fabrics. I just need one more piece of CW fabric I haven't used yet. (All the blocks main fabrics are different....yeah 100 different CW fabrics, I didn't know I had that many).

I find a piece of black fabric I like and cut it out. Then, I spy all the leftover little 1 1/2 inch squares....hmmmm. It's a shame to have them wasting away. What can I make?

So I begin sewing little four patches. And, I'm liking the way they are looking. They finish at 2 inches. Then, I think, I need some blues to go with them. So I start cutting out blue CW fabrics.

And I begin lining them up with the four patches. Too cute!

I love it.

Then, I realize that if I sew these chains of four patches and squares together and clip between each seam, I'll be at this for ever. So, I look and see there are still some 1 1/2 in. squares in the little container, and I start using them as leaders and enders....per Bonnie's instructions!

I made little four patches from all the leftover dark fabrics. Then, I needed more leaders and enders, so I cut some cream CW fabric...and alternated them with those four patches. Meantime, I am sewing two quilts at the same time. The Four Patch Furrows and the Little Four Patch Quilt.

Now, I wasn't planning on making either of these quilts.....all I was doing was looking for one piece of fabric to make one last Double Four Patch block - so I could start piecing Dear Younger Son's Long Overdue Graduation Quilt!!!!

I need some Tylenol!!! Happy Quilting!!!!