Ice Cream, anyone??

Yeah, another quilt finished!  This one is from the Disappearing Hourglass tutorial at MissouriStarQuiltCo.com.  I love this site - have found many tutorials I'd like to follow someday - when I have time....but this one grabbed me right away.  I used fabric called Ansonia by Denyse Schmidt for FreeSpirit.  It's in a brown/pink/cream combination and reminds me of neopolitan (how do you spell that?) ice cream, or a banana split!  I even had a cone of King Tut variegated thread in brown/pink/cream to MATCH!  How about that?  Thanks Carol!!!

This was a fun block to make - although I incorrectly cut many squares in the beginning....they became part of the back of the quilt.  There was an interesting stripe in this collection - I love stripes, especially for binding, and this one is no exception.  However, I didn't like the blocks I made with the stripe fabric - they went into the back of the quilt, too.  As Peggy would tell me, "it's all good!"

This one is a rather large lap quilt - 64" x 75", large enough for a couple laps.

I finished up a box of microwave-a-bowl sets to send to Jamie for her craft fairs and yesterday I almost completed another top.  I had my Bernina serviced this month and it's been wonderful being able to sew with it again.  My Brother 1500 is getting a well deserved rest.

However, rests are sometimes short!!  Stefani asked me to put together a quilt for her Mom for Christmas using blocks made by her Great-Grandmother.  She brought the suitcase over the other day and we found an abundance of blocks, some partially completed pieces, a couple fairly large hexagons and even a LARGE 80" x 96" completed top.  We'll be putting together a quilt for her Aunt, one for her Mom, and working on shadow boxes for her Grandma and Grandpa and another Aunt, I think.  Anyway, the suitcase will be pretty empty when we're finished and it should be fun taking these pieces that have been sitting for so long and helping them come to life and bring a little of her Great-Grandmother back.  Wish me luck - I'm already dreaming of what to do, oh, what to do!!

Mom continues to do well.  All of our home health providers are gone now, and I worry a little when she coughs...but we'll have to keep an eye on it.  Stefani is now only going to be here 4 days/week as she needs a weekend day to spend with her fiancee (how dare she???).  We're taking the hours from Sunday and adding them to Thurs/Fri/Sat so that will give me a little more time on those days.

Jobs are finished!

Okay, quilts for Weed and 20+ microwaveable bowl sets are off to Jamie and aprons are off to Mindy.  Now I can get back to something else.  Stefani has been sick since Wednesday (when she was going to work to replace this coming Saturday as she wants to go to Six Flags) so I haven't really had much time to concentrate on anything.  Hopefully, she will be better by tomorrow.

I have some quilt tops that have been sitting, waiting for backings, etc., so they can become QUILTS - I'm hoping to concentrate on getting a few of them completed.  I've really been trying to get the "piles" under control lately - this should help!!

Our weather has been crisper - it's about 60* now with some "saucer" clouds outside.  Mom is sitting at the front window enjoying the warmest spot in the house - right under a heater vent.  We have Pandora playing and she's "resting" her eyes.  Ah, what a life!!

Don's going to watch Nan for me so I can get to the quilt store.  I need to find a yellow fabric for Bonnie Hunter's new mystery quilt.  This one is pink, blue, green and yellow and is in honor of the Grand Hotel in the UP of Michigan.  It'll be 88"x88".  Nan of course thinks EVERY quilt is for her - and if not, she'd like to be in line for it if whoever doesn't like it....quite funny.  This one just may go on MY bed - one never knows????

No photos today, everything's boring..but I'll get back to work now!

Margie's Quilt

Finally, photos to share of Margie's quilt.  Margie has been Nan's O.T. since we've been here.  I think she's actually been with us for over a year of that time.  It's probably understandable that the people you have helping you become like family - but then I think the people have to be super special, too.  And that Margie is!  

Her plan from the beginning wasn't to actually make Nan "better - like she was before she fell and broke her hip".  Her plan was to make the new "normal" the best it could be.  I appreciate that!  And Nan gave her best always!  Even when she was too tired to really do the work!

 I made the Harry Potter quilt for her  - to give to her son and daughter-in-law for their first Christmas as a married couple.  It was fun to do and certainly challenged me.  When it was finished, she decided she'd really like a quilt of her own to remember us by.  So, here it is!

Now, I'm off to finish up as many microwave bowl sets as I have vinyl to do.  Hopefully, Jamie will be able to add them to her stock at Craft Fairs this fall and we'll have some extra cash to put away for fabric!!!  I'll publish a photo of them when they're done.

Oh, and I have a few aprons I just cut out to do for Mindy and her "girls".

Quilts Ready for Weed, CA

Hope everyone is having a great Sunday.  I was able to purchase a new Ott light floor model yesterday at 50% off minus 25%.  Great buy!!  Once we figured out how to get it to work (Don, of course, came up with a way to "snap" in the light bulb thing.)  Anyway, it works GREAT and I can see so much better at my sewing machine now.

Here are photos of the quilts I have finished to send off to Jamie for the people of Weed, CA.  This first one is a scrappy bargello, one of my all-time fav designs by Bonnie Hunter.  It's backed with FROGS and lilypads.  So cute - I had to return to Craft Market to purchase the last 2 yards on the bolt.

The second is like the one I did for Zach except really scrappy.  The back fabric is puppy dog paws!  Love the bright colors here...and check out the binding - doggie bones!

The third is a scrappy front and CATS, CATS, CATS on the back!

And this little one - a "girly Ballerina" - It is adorable however, the fabric is much coarser than 100% cotton should be.  I bought AN ENTIRE ROLL of it for our ballerina project back in the day...and I have a rather large roll left!  I did wash this small quilt though and it does seem SOFTER.  This fabric has a silver sparkle to it - which became part of a couple of Don's shirts, too.  Don't tell him...but I'll bet it's REALLY CUTE on him!

The hearts are appliqued onto the quilt and are made of chenille.

I finished the top for Margie yesterday.  Hope to get it sandwiched and quilted tomorrow!  I'm liking it...hope she does too!

And as a final note today, I checked with "Tony" the mobile repair guy.  He's coming to check out my Bernina.  The needle has been offset since I caught the cord with my foot and down we both went - that was probably a couple years ago.  I'm looking forward to being able to zigzag again (funny, I know).  Tony thinks it'll be fixable as part of the overall cleaning, etc.  I hope so!!!

Harry Potter finish, and Reef Plus...

Two new quilts to show today.  I finished my Harry Potter piece, made for Margie's son and new daughter-in-law, as Margie (our O.T. for Mom) leaves us again today:(  I always have a heavy heart as she leaves us but know that she'll return if/when we need her again.  This time is different though, as she is moving on to a new company!!!  She purchased  some Harry Potter OOP (out of print) fabric that we found on Ebay and I designed around it.  Of course, I put the piece out of my head for a couple months because I knew it would be a challenge.  Not sure just why I always do that, I do SO enjoy the challenge once I get to it!  Here are a couple photos:

And here's the back - I used the balance of that really expensive fabric!!!

I must say I'm pretty pleased with just how it turned out.  I added a hanging sleeve to the back and a label for William and Victoria - it will be a Christmas gift from Margie and her hubby!  She's promised to let me know if they like it. 

The next finish I'm calling Reef Plus, as it is a Tonga Batik fat quarter pack called Reef plus some (7) colors from my stash.  It's going into my Etsy store.  

Here's the back - again I used up all of the scraps (although part of me wishes I hadn't!!

Margie now thinks she needs a quilt for herself so my next quilt will be a throw sized one using the Wine Tonga Treat 6-pack I have.  More on that later.

Actually, with all the fires in Weed, CA, I'm making up a few small scrap quilts to send to Jamie so she can get them to groups helping those affected by the fires.  Both the Catholic and Presbyterian  churches there have burned to the ground, but I'm sure there will be centers somewhere in town to help those affected.  I actually attended the college in Weed some almost 50 years ago.  What happy memories I have of that town.  I hope those who have lost so much will soon be on their feet again!!!

No New Quilts?????

What, no new quilts to share?  That's right!  I've been making lots and lots of Aprons - both for Mindy & Kyle's new restaurant wearing, and some, too, for sale.  I kinda got carried away with them - fully lined and ready for work!

On my design wall to finish is a wall hanging/tablecloth/small quilt (46"x46") for Margie to give to her son and new daughter-in-law for Christmas.  Their wedding was all in Harry Potter colors and theme - so we found this fabric (really expensive as it's out of print) and I've had fun designing this:

AND I had a special order of two crocheted rugs (believe it or not!).  Don wasn't too happy with me for accepting the order but I had TWO weeks to finish them and didn't rush.  My hands did well, no pain.  And they are beautiful....I may have to do a heart one for at my kitchen sink and a large oval for in front of the stove.  BUT, I'll be sure to take it slow and easy.

NOW, I'm getting back to quilting.  Here's the latest (only two rows on my design wall in this photo but I'm adding borders to the completed top today.  

I have a thing for batiks at the moment.  I couldn't help myself from purchasing a few "6-packs" of batiks in colors called "Boysenberry", "Cabana",  "Napa",  "Harvest" , "Punch", and this one is "Reef".  I have great plans for each and I just purchased a roll of batting (on sale at 50% off minus 10% plus free shipping) so I'' have plenty for some new quilts.  

Oh how the stacks grow - I'll have to find some of these for charity quilts.  That'll be fun.... 

Whoa! It's been awhile...

I can hardly believe it's been sooo long since I've added to my blog!  Sometimes things just happen to make life go by so quickly..

I've been making lots and lots of aprons for Mindy and Kyle's restaurant - fun!  Some have been for the wait-person (Connor) but most have been for Mindy and Cheryl.  Actually, I haven't stopped yet!  Yesterday I put 4 full aprons up on my Etsy store - had real problems taking photos (my phone actually took better photos than the camera!). 

I'd like to say I'll have the occasion to try to sell them at craft fairs this fall...but I doubt that will happen.  

Mom has been doing well and keeping us busy.  Stefani has been taking time off here and there to have some fun but will be doing some Wednesdays in the next couple weeks to make up the time.

Here are photos of the aprons I placed on Etsy

I actually cut out a couple that will be made from oilcloth I purchased at Craft Market yesterday.  They'll be for washin' dishes and I think they should work well...I'll keep my fingers crossed. 

I also found a cute, bright vegetable/fruit fabric there and cut a couple aprons out from it today, too.  I'll have to get back to quilting soon but for now this has been a great "break" plus I haven't really had time for much quilting.  More later -