A Wednesday Afternoon Share

Busy in my sewing room making 1/2 square triangles today....trying to make progress on these blocks!

It's going to be a large quilt....I have a LONG way to go..........

A Very Quick Share

A poorly cropped pic of the barn quilt.......

Happy Spring!

Although it hardly feels like spring outside, Inside the forsythia, pussy willow, daffodils and hyacinth tell another story....

And since spring is all about new beginnings, here is mine.

I am doing the block of the month (offered by a local quilt shop) called Amish With A Twist Two.

I have had this in my possession since the third Tuesday in March, and if I don't get moving on it I'm going to be in big trouble in just a couple of weeks.

Here is the first installment of fabric and directions....

I was going to get right to work on cutting my strips for the blocks and hopefully get them all sewn before I had to head out for the day, but after reading Sue Garman's latest post I have decided that I probably need to wash them.  I almost always wash my fabrics first...I learned it from my mother and sewing teachers and I almost always do, but for some reason I thought I was going to squeak by NOT doing it this time.....but I've changed my mind.  This quilt is 105" finished, and is going to take 12 months to do.  I'm not going to risk all that time and work to have colors run and wreck everything.

So I'll wash!

This is one of my other current projects....this is the first block from the block of the month from The Buggy Barn called Starlit Garden.
I finished this block the day block # 2 was delivered.
I'm not sure what I was thinking getting myself involved in 2 BOM's at the same time....when I had Easter dinner to host, and a few trips planned, and some major remodeling that needs to be planned and completed in a short amount of time. 
Really.  What was I thinking?

Wanted to blog....

But I'm too darn tired.

So I'll share this one with you....

Have a great night!

A Quilter Is Born!

This is Karolina.....and this is her first quilt!

Karolina joined the quilt chicks for the first time today at a winter sewing retreat at the farm.  Quilting was a new endeavor for her, but she took to it like no one I've ever seen before.

Here she is, hard at work but smiling the whole time.

Here is her top, just before trimming.....

And a close-up of her decorative stitches, using YLI Quilt thread in Kyoto Garden.

And here it is her first quilt!

Almost complete with a tiny bit of binding left to be sewn down!

The Quilt Chicks were very pleased to be able to help teach a new quilter the ropes!

We hope she will join us again soon....

Great Job Karolina!

It's A Girl!

And a Pretty one at that!

She doesn't have a name yet, but this Gorgeous Sewmor 414 was at the local Salvation Army waiting for someone to adopt her.....and that someone ended up being me!

I was making my usual Friday morning rounds, and after filling (and I mean filling) my cart with 5 for $5 deals I decided to check out the furniture and gadget wall.  Found an overpriced Westinghouse sewing machine in pristine condition in a well -cared for cabinet....and then I saw her.  Across the isle.
Unassuming in her blue and tan case.  No one else was noticing her, but I did.
I quickly released the clasps's of the case and saw this sparkly aqua steel and was struck with the need to own her....
I put the top back on, locked it up and
Walked Away.

I had the Voice of Reason in my head telling me that this was a Want, not a Need.
I already have 3 working machines and 2 other ones hidden away in a storage area.
I just bought 31 shirts to disassemble and add to my stash......

I paid for my shirts and left the store, thinking about the machine all the way home.

I washed my shirts in 2 loads, still thinking about that little aqua beauty.
I finally got out my computer and did a quick search on the machine.  I found one on Ebay listed
for $199.99.
The machine I had walked away from was $19.99.

I put my coat on and drove back to the store, hoping, hoping, HOPING it would still be there.
And it was.
I pulled open the clasps on her top and opened it up and I swear it looked even shinier and more sparkly than it had when I first saw her.
I uncoiled the power cord and felt along it for fraying and cracks and there were none.
There was a plug just above the shelf she was sitting on and I plugged her in.
Her light came on.
I stepped on the foot pedal and she purred.....Like the day she was born.
I stood back and smiled and contemplated doing a happy dance.
THAT is when I noticed there were 3 people standing behind me, watching.
I looked at them and told them "I'm taking this home" and they turned and walked away.

I would have skipped to the cashier except that this machine weighs somewhere around 50 pounds, I think.

I ended up at the same cashier that I had seen just a couple hours before and she said "Welcome Back!"
She laughed at me when I told her the story, and she shook her finger at me and said "Girl!  You are lucky that was still there!  You've got to buy it when you see it or you will lose out!"
Well, this time I did NOT lose.  I Won!

I'm going to clean and oil her tomorrow and take her for a spin.

Tonight....I've got 31 shirts to deconstruct!
Talk to you chicks later!

I Didn't Do Anything Creative Today....

Because today the furnace and ductwork had to be cleaned.  18 years of dust and cat hair sucked out and taken away....hopefully the time I WILL NOT have to spend dusting will now be spent sewing and dreaming and pinning things on Pinterest.

Tonight there was a Food Truck Rally (as part of a fundraiser for a local art center) in The Clem.
If you are from my area you know what I'm talking about.
It was a coolish evening, but not so cool that you couldn't hang out, eat, and enjoy the people watching.
There were a good number of trucks in town tonight...and the offerings were pretty awesome!

 Rob and Brandy joined us....
So did Cliff, Claudette and Karen.  Why didn't I get their pic?

 Perogies.  OMG the Perogies.  Especially the spinach and artichoke.  DELISH!

 Bath City Roller Girls.  I've ALWAYS loved Roller Derby.  Ever since I was a young girl and saw Rachel Welch in Kansas City Bomber.  They are actually looking for more roller girls....I wonder.  Am I too old  for this sport?

Lordy....I had the pork taco.  Tim had chicken.  Rob had the chimichanga.  All fantastic.

The kids from The School of Rock provided the entertainment.  They were pretty darn good.
(So why didn't I get THEIR pic??)

So that's it.  That was my evening....arrived at home in time for the presidential debates.
I will NOT be discussing that here!

Have a great evening!