I Haven't Been Blogging....

but I have been busy! Thanksgiving was great! There were ten of us here, including baby Addison, who got her dinner early and didn't come to the table for the big meal. Granddaughter Avery helped me cook by rolling up the crescent rolls and proclaimed, "Thanksgiving is ready!" when the oven timer beeped.

On Thanksgiving Day I sent home Addison's recently-completed Christmas stocking, shown here with Avery's. The angels are cross stitched from a pattern I found in a book on bread cloths.

This week I delivered the following two quilts to the hospital. We have a new Project Linus coordinator in St. Louis, so I can call them Project Linus quilts again! The first was made with the last of a pile of pastel scraps that have been living in my house since the 80's! (There were two other quilts with these fabrics that I put in previous posts. Both had teddy bears on them.) I am not sad to see these fabrics go! It is fun to actually use up something.The dump truck quilt is a pattern I have made once before. The backing fabric is one I've had for a long time and has roads and construction sites. Again, it's good to use up something! (Makes room for new!!!)

My final recent project was to make these two coats for tiny dogs. One of the security guards at the hospital where I volunteer is so nice. He's about my son's age and has a girlfriend and two itty-bitty dogs that are not enjoying their first winter! I offered to make quilted coats, so he brought in one they had purchased and I traced it for a pattern. I couldn't resist using that dog fabric on the right for the little male dog. A three-pound boy dog needs a little help with the machismo! Maybe this will help him seem a little tougher when they visit the dog park.

Three More Suz Guz Blocks

This is how I really look, for better or worse. My darling granddaughter, Avery, took this picture of me yesterday. I think she did a really good job, considering that she is only 2 1/2 years old! I can see plenty of things to criticize in my picture, but she must think I'm OK! She is so sweet and affectionate to us now. The baby, Addison, doesn't like us yet, but she'll get to know us in time.

For Christmas we got Avery the new Fisher-Price Kid-Touch Digital Camera. She should have a blast with it because she tries to make a camera out of everything she picks up. I just know that she will learn how to use it quickly, as all kids do with modern gadgets. She plays with an old cell phone, and I noticed yesterday that she was pushing the buttons with her thumb, just like her parents.

Here are three more blocks in the Susan Guzman BOM series. (If you get these patterns, you will see that I have streamlined a couple of them. The top two blocks had little squares dripping off the outside edges--well, they just dripped right off of my blocks!) I can see now that I will need to devise an on-point setting. Just one more block, and the series will be finished!

Long-Term Project

Oh, baby, is that an understatement! I have begun to make a king-sized quilt for our bed--the one we bought three years ago. It is using the Baby Honu pattern by Lisa Boyer that DS and DDIL brought back from their honeymoon in Hawaii (four years ago). They also brought back a three-yard piece of a gorgeous navy, purple, and green batik with sea turtles in the pattern, which will make a perfect border.

After years of producing kid quilts for Project Linus, this big quilt is a little daunting. I've deviated from the pattern to appease my preferences in quiltmaking. I'm doing the turtles in hand applique--not the 3D way that Lisa suggests on the sewing machine. I'm not paper piecing the wave blocks, because I can't bear that technique, but have figured out the sizes to cut triangles and assemble them the square-in-a-square way. Methods aside, the quilter side of myself is arguing with the critic side of myself about the color combinations, which are much different than Lisa's picture on the pattern!

Critic Sheryl: Those waves don't look like any water I've ever seen!

Quilter Sheryl: The fabrics are to give the impression of water.

Critic Sheryl: Don't the waves swirl in a counterclockwise manner on the pattern?

Quilter Sheryl: Well, yes, but I made the first two blocks the wrong way and decided not to look back!

Critic Sheryl: Still...some of them are awfully dark!

Quilter Sheryl: Ocean water looks pretty dark from the deck of a cruise ship after sunset. Don't you remember wanting to stand back from the rail and all the suspicious glances you gave DH?

Critic Sheryl: But that bright green? Where does that come from?

Quilter Sheryl: Algae?

Critic Sheryl: I don't get the red, either.

Quilter Sheryl: Shark-infested waters?

Critic Sheryl: I still don't think it looks like water.

Quilter Sheryl: Haven't you ever heard of Impressionism?

There...I feel better! No, I don't have multiple personalities...just a little conflicting self-talk now and then! Now I can proceed to make about 25 more turtle blocks and about 20 more wave blocks so I can assemble this monster and start the hand quilting. (Yes, you read that right!)

Giveaway Drawing Today!

It's here--the day when all of the bloggers participating in the Fall into Fall Giveaway will be drawing the names of the lucky prize winners! DH and I are ready to choose the winner of my pack of I Spy squares.

We're doing this the old-fashioned way--everyone's name is on a slip of paper in a Wal-Mart bag! Drum roll please.....the winner is Beth of The Jury is Still Out! I just went to your blog, Beth, and found out a little bit about you. Could these squares become a quilt for the Dyl Pickle? That would be cool! (Coincidentally, my daughter's name is Beth, but DH couldn't see that when he closed his eyes and drew your name out of the bag.) Congrats to Beth, and thanks to everyone for entering. I got some great recipes and menu ideas from this drawing!

I will email Beth right away so she can send me her snail mail address.

Delivered three more quilts

These are the last three quilts I delivered to the Pediatrics floor. With their delivery, I celebrated my 98th, 99th, and 100th quilts to this hospital by ordering some fabric!

Lots of Entries!

What fun to receive so many entries in my giveaway, even though I started late! My DH is amazed that so many quilters have blogs and that so many found my little offering. He will be picking the winner on October 15, so be sure to enter by commenting on the previous post. Tell me what you like to cook in the fall. I already have two wonderful recipes from this!

From reading the comments, I gather that there is a lot of chili and apple crisp being consumed this time of year. I think I'll be making them soon, too!

Fall into Fall Giveaway

I am happy to be joining (a little late) Debi's Fall into Fall Giveaway. I will be drawing on October 15 from among all of the people who leave a comment on this post. There are only two requirements to be entered into my drawing:
1) You must answer the question: What is your favorite thing to cook or bake in the fall? (I might want the recipe!)
2) If you do not have a blog, you must leave your email address for me to use in contacting you if you win.

If any messages don't meet these requirements, I will have to delete them. Sorry!

Anyway, here is what you can win! (the best part) I am offering a collection of 35 I Spy squares. Each is 6 1/2" square. These are perfect for a quilt for a boy in your life or for making a quilt to donate to Project Linus. They include sports, animals, dinosaurs, astronauts, and many kinds of foods that kids love.

Here's my inspiration for offering this as a prize: I recently donated a boy's I Spy quilt to our local hospital. I got the most wonderful feedback! It was given to an 8-year-old boy who was there for a surgery connected with his Cerebral Palsy. He cannot speak well but has a very active mind, and he and his parents thoroughly enjoyed playing games with his new quilt. They would ask a question, and he would point to the answer. He left the hospital with the quilt over his lap in the wheelchair and a big grin on his face!

Please enter my drawing! Maybe you can make an I Spy quilt for a special kid in your life. Also, click on the scarecrow link at the right to find a list of other blogs having fall giveaway drawings.

Where Did That Month Go?

Wow! I can't believe it's been almost a month since I posted anything here! I apologize to anyone who has wasted their time checking in here and finding nothing new.

Early in September I had a busy, fun-filled visit from two friends I made on the Quilting Passion Forum. I so appreciate the great effort they made to come all the way to St. Louis. It was wonderful!

Shortly after they had to go home, my mother-in-law and her cat came to stay for two weeks. We are trying to persuade her to sell her home and move here, because she is 87 and lives 400 miles away. We aren't making any progress there. She just wants to go back and sit in her own house--too much change to think about.

I don't seem to get much done when she is here as far as housekeeping goes, but I do spend time in my sewing room! I finished these two quilts to deliver to the Pediatrics Department at the hospital where I volunteer. (We don't have a Project Linus chapter here any more, so I just keep taking them myself.) I have two more finished and in the washer and am sewing down the binding on a third. I'll try to post them soon.

The Cowboy pattern is from Sindy Rodenmayer at http://www.fatcatpatterns.com/

Spiral Roses quilt top

I finished this top today. This is a true scrapquilter project! Nothing was used that was any bigger than a fat quarter (except a long scrap I used for the border), and nothing was purchased to make it. I had cut out the blocks just to have around when I was between projects. Well, darn, the applique all got finished and I had to put the top together! I'll hang it in the closet with my other tops that are ready to quilt.

I'm cleaning out my sewing room because I'm having guests next week, and Debi is going to sleep in that room. She should have sweet dreams in there with my fabric, books, and magazines--that is if the UFOs don't haunt her at night!

Finished SuzGuz block 8

Here's my block 8 from the Susan Guzman series. I'm not crazy about this one--can't quite figure out why! Somehow it looks like an inkblot test to me. Whatever! It'll go in the quilt with the prettier ones.

My hands have been busy here making gifts. I'm also working on a seaside themed quilt for Project Linus.

There's a little bit of fall in the air here, which always invigorates me. I guess I worked in the public schools and then the university for so long that my inner calendar kicks into overdrive at the beginning of the school year. Just hearing the school buses running gets me keyed up!

Addison's Quilt

Baby Addison's quilt is finished! I used a center medallion like I did with Avery's quilt but had to get a little funky with the lettering because the name is a little longer. I just need to sew on the label, and then it'll be hers forever. I wish I had something that either of my grandmothers had made, but I don't think either one of them sewed very much. (Neither of them drove a car, either!)

My next project is in full swing--a totally pieced quilt (gasp!) that I made from a book of patterns for jelly roll strips. I used bright noodles from a swap on the Quilting Passion forum, and it is very wild!

Who Doesn't Love Elmo?

We visited our kids for a few hours today. We got to hold tiny Addison and play with Avery in her new playhouse (which was a present from Addison! I bet that helps sibling relationships.)

I also got to deliver this little top to Avery, try it on her, and get the straps adjusted. When she saw it, she said, "Mine!" It has an elasticized casing in the back and fits really cute. Wish I looked that cute in a little top and a pair of jean shorts.

Welcome to the world, Addison Rose!

This grandmother is very proud to announce the birth of our new granddaughter, Addison Rose, who was born early this morning! Mother and baby are doing well, and we can't wait to meet our new angel, as well as to see the reaction of her big sister, Avery. I need to finish her quilt!

Another Guzman Applique Block

Here's block 7 from Susan Guzman's BOM. (I am determined to finish this one, since I fizzled out on the last two BOMs I started!) I decided to incorporate some of my black dot print, since I realized from the picture of the first six blocks that I had only used black in one block. I'll be using it again in the next 3 or 4 blocks so it'll be distributed throughout the quilt and I'll have the option of using black in the sashing. This quilt is going to need a calming influence!

It's gotten really hot here, darn it, and even in the air-conditioned house I only want to work on applique now. Quilting or binding sounds suffocating! The one thing that will get me going, though, is working on the baby quilt for our new granddaughter #2! She is due to be born in the next week. I can hardly wait to meet her.

It's an Applique Day

I continue to be delighted by the free block of the month designed by Susan Guzman. She even sends you an email when the new pattern is ready! I'm having a lot of fun using my dotted fabrics. I have one terrific fabric that provides several different sized dots. It has dots printed inside other dots! For instance, in the small picture of block 6, the center square is cut from this fabric, as well as the blue circles and the "flower" circles. Great stuff!

The second picture shows the January through June blocks. There will be 6 more, and she says she's designing a center medallion and scalloped border, too, that we can buy. I may be so sick of appliqueing circles that I decide to call it quits with the 12 blocks!

I Spy Quilt

This "I Spy" quilt was really fun to make! I chose novelty fabrics that would be of interest to a boy, since the Project Linus people say that they always need quilts for boys. I can imagine a boy who has to remain in bed at the hospital playing a game with his parents using this quilt. I'd ask him, "How many blocks show something you can eat?" "How many blocks show underwater pictures?" "How many blocks show animals that you could have for pets?" "How many blocks show things that can fly?" "How many blocks show sports?" "How many blocks show something you can drive?" Hopefully, it will keep someone warm and busy!

My Beautiful Gift Quilt

Look at the beautiful quilt I was given by the members of the Quilting Passion Forum! I am so honored to have this quilt, knowing the love, work, and expense that went into it. It will always be a cherished possession, and I can't wait for cold weather so I can take some naps under it!!! My deepest thanks to all who had a part in it.

Peggy organized this project and assembled the quilt top. She sent it to Debi, who quilted and bound it. Val designed and printed the label.

Here is a close shot of Debi's beautiful quilting.

Last, but not least, is a beautiful throw pillow, made from an extra block. It was made by Mara Del, a dear friend of forum member, Dorothy. Dorothy mailed it to me. (I was fortunate to meet both of them when we all visited Dallas last fall.)

Little Dresses are for Twirling!

Garment sewing is just not my thing! I made my clothes for years, and the results never truly satisfied me. (Maybe it's the fact that my short body doesn't look like the drawings on the pattern envelopes!) Since I caught the quilting bug (and my case is terminal), I haven't made any garments at all.

But....God blessed me with a beautiful granddaughter who is now 2 years 4 months old. Her little sister will be born in the next few weeks. Nothing else could lure me back into garment sewing than little granddaughters!

I bought this fabric and pattern a couple of months ago, and they sat on my cutting table all that time. I became the queen of procrastination! However, when we had a request to babysit last Friday, I knew that would be my impetus to "git 'er done"! I finished the dress Thursday night, and she was twirling in it on Friday morning! What girl doesn't want to hear that she looks pretty? We loved hearing her talk about her "pwetty dwess".

Cuddly Bunny Went to the Hospital Today

This guy went from a medallion to a finished quilt yesterday. I actually machine quilted it, and it wasn't too bad. The pattern is another by Sindy Rodenmayer at Fat Cat Patterns. (It may be boring to keep reading that in so many posts, but I always want to give her credit for the great patterns.) I'm glad I got it done because it's heating up here again, and my "treehouse" sewing room isn't so comfortable for sewing any more, even with the air conditioning on.

I received the yellow fabric as a donation. I know you can't tell, but the print has rabbits all over it. There was plenty of it, so I used it for the back, too, and almost used it all up. There is a lot left in the donation bag, which makes me feel pressured! I feel like I have to use it, although none of it "turns me on" the way it would if I chose it myself. Still...you can't beat free.

Bunny went to St. John's today, and the staff said he'd be on a bed this weekend. Go, bunny--make someone smile!

Four Teddy Bears

This teddy bear quilt is ready to go to the hospital. The pattern is, of course, from Sindy Rodenmayer at Fat Cat Patterns. This is the second quilt I've made using the old pastels from my stash. (There is one more top from the same fabrics, but I need to do something else before I face those fabrics again!) Someone gave me a big piece of lavender gingham, so I used it for the back and binding.

We are enjoying unseasonably cool temperatures this week and loving every minute! My sewing room is upstairs and can be pretty hot in the summer, so I am taking advantage of the coolness and working up there with the window open. We have mature trees, and it's like sewing in a tree house!

Two Sweeties on Fathers' Day

My DH had a Fathers' Day visit from his little angel yesterday, so I thought I'd feature these two sweeties today. (I would love to show you her beautiful smiling face, but don't have permission of her parents to show it online so I cut it out.) I love the expression on his face, though! The man turns to Silly Putty when he is around his granddaughter!

Last week they came over for DH's birthday party, and there were four rabbits chasing around in our back yard. She evidently hadn't ever seen a wild rabbit and was fascinated. She and DH sat on the grass and watched them for a long time. She would put both hands on her cheeks and her mouth made a big "O". Well, as soon as she got here yesterday, she wanted to see rabbits! They searched around all the nearby yards, even shaking the bushes, but they couldn't find a single one, even though she called out, "I love you, rabbits!"

We are such silly, crazy-in-love grandparents! And just think...we get another little angel next month!

Tagged! Getting to Know Each Other

Brenda tagged me recently and gave me some questions to answer about myself. In turn, I am going to tag five people who have commented on my blog, asking you to answer these same questions on your own blogs.

Here are the rules, as stated on Brenda's blog:

Each player answers the questions about themselves. At the end of the post, the player then tags 5-6 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know they’ve been tagged and asking them to read your blog. Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve posted your answer.

Now the questions:

1. What was I doing ten years ago? Oh, I remember that summer very well. For about ten years before that, I had been working in our school district's Title I program, doing one-on-one instruction in reading and language with at-risk kindergarteners, first graders, and second graders. I worked only when school was in session, thus giving me every summer off. In the fall of 1997 my son started attending a private university here in the St. Louis area. I learned that they offered full tuition benefits for the children of employees so I applied for and got a full-time secretarial job. Therefore, in June of 1998 I was working in the summer for the first time since 1973! Let's just say it was an adjustment! Also, the AC on my car wasn't working.

2. What 5 things are on my to do list for today?

Help DH cut down and bundle dead branches on trees in our yard.

Join blocks of I Spy quilt into rows and then join the rows into a top.

Hand quilt on teddy bear quilt.

Return video (The Bucket List--very good!)

Laundry

3. What snacks do I enjoy? I'm trying not to think about snacks! But since I must--I love chocolate chip cookies, Cheez-It crackers, raw veggies and the dip I make with fat-free sour cream and Lipton Vegetable Soup Mix.

4. What would I do if I was a billionaire? I would buy my husband the "hobby farm" that he has always wanted, with one normal horse for DH and two short, slow-moving horses for my daughter and me! I would make sure that it was within easy driving distance from our two granddaughters so we could introduce them to the horses and country life.

I would also research charities and donate money to the ones who used their money the most efficiently for causes that are meaningful to us.

I'd make sure that both GDs had college funds that could send them anywhere they wanted to go.

5. Where have I lived? I was born in Chicago. We moved to Calumet, Michigan, on the Upper Peninsula when I was four. When I was in first grade we moved to Centralia, Missouri, where my mother still lives. I lived in Columbia, Missouri, when I was a student at the University of Missouri. After graduation I moved to the St. Louis area and have lived in two apartments and two houses here. (I met DH here.) We have lived in our current home for 30 years! (Amazing!!)

Now...I'm going to ask Debi, Texas Jan, Myra, Jeanne, and Peggy to answer the same questions. Tag, girls, you're it now!

Designer Flipflops

This isn't the first flipflop quilt I have made with this pattern--in fact, it's the third. The two previous quilts went to the hospital where I volunteer and according to the Child Life Director, they were very well received.

One day about a month ago I was looking at the ads in the Sunday paper and saw an ad for fancy flipflops. These weren't rubber shower shoes! Oh, no, they were embellished with sequins, beads, flowers, and all sorts of things. I thought--with all the novelty fabric I have, I should be able to design some very cool flipflops. So this quilt was born!

I'm almost out of the applique background--it's a sandy beach dotted with little shells. I need some more of that!

Here's the story of the last flipflop quilt I donated: A mom was in her 17-year-old daughter's room at St. John's Pediatrics floor, very distraught because the daughter had been in a car accident and was in a coma. The Child Life volunteer showed her three quilts and asked if she'd like to pick one for her daughter. She chose the flipflop quilt because her daughter lived in them all summer and had a pair to match every outfit. The mom wrapped herself in the quilt for comfort. Fortunately, the daughter awoke and her mom gave her the quilt!

With that in mind, I will happily deliver this quilt on Friday and set it free to do its good work.

Tired of Thunder!!

This afternoon another big, nasty, window-rattling thunderstorm passed through the St. Louis area. Man, are we ever sick of this rain! I think I heard that we have gotten over 12 inches more rain this year than we usually do. Everything is so soggy, and when the sun does come out, the air becomes steamy. I guess by August we will be wishing it would come back--oh, no, there goes the weather alert again! (I call it "The Squawker". It's a radio tuned into the National Weather Service. I would love to bash it some nights!!) Another line of storms is headed our way tonight.





Meanwhile, another UFO has bitten the dust! If this looks familiar, it's probably because you saw it on Planet Patchwork. It was a Block of the Month series called "Galactic Twinkle". I ran out of twinkle in September of that year! While prowling through my UFOs, I found 8 blocks and the 9th one cut out but not sewn. (The brights are all Fossil Ferns.) Those blocks became this quilt for Project Linus, a quilt that I think a boy would like. There's nothing sissy about it!

Back from Branson

Hmmmm....I wonder if anyone will read this, since you have all probably given up on me! We returned a couple of days ago from a vacation in Branson, Missouri, the entertainment mecca of the Midwest in the Ozark Mountains near Tablerock Lake. We went there on that particular week because the Silver Dollar City theme park was hosting their annual Bluegrass and BBQ festival. We got to enjoy 6 bluegrass groups and eat a wonderful beef brisket lunch.

When traveling I always carry a bag full of applique projects, and this trip was no exception. I finished Block 5 in Susan Guzman's free block of the month series as well as several daisy blocks for a quilt for our second granddaughter, who will be born in about two months. I'm also making flip flop blocks. They're going to be "designer flip flops" because I'm using my novelty fabrics to make each one different--animal print flip flop, western flip flop, ladybug flip flop, etc. You'll see!

Another of my favorite things on the trip was getting to see Yakov Smirnoff, the smiling guy on the left. Yakov is a comedian who immigrated from Russia at the age of 26, having little money and knowing no English. His perspective on American life from the immigrant perspective is insightful and hilarious! (He has made a darn good living with it, too!) We went back to the theater another night to be in the audience for a talk show pilot hosted by Yakov. We got to give feedback, and I really hope that his show will be picked up. It wouldn't be all comedy. Two years ago he earned a Master's degree in Psychology from Penn, and he is very interested in using it as part of the show.

Finished Some Stuff!

I just finished the binding on this quilt last night during "Desperate Housewives". (Is it just me or does Justine Bateman look really old all of a sudden? Oh, well, so do I!) This quilt will go to St. John's Mercy via Project Linus. The pattern is by Sindy Rodenmayer, my favorite applique designer. I enjoyed dipping into my stash of "food fabric" to find carrots, cabbage, lettuce, and radishes for the bunny to snack on.

This is the April row from Debi's BOM. It is starting to get a little ahead of me--I didn't get finished during the month it was issued. Now I am already behind on May's row!

If you are making this quilt, would you tell me your plans for setting the rows together? Are you going to put strips of sashing between the rows or just sew the rows together? (I was thinking that the sashing would prevent having to match up a lot of seam lines.)

Yee Haw!

After getting the link for this free pattern from Debi on the Quilting Passion forum, I knew exactly which fabrics I would use to make it. I've been looking for just the right way to use some cowboy fabrics since buying them on the shop hop day of the DFW Gang's get-together in Dallas last fall.

It's an easy pattern, and I want to use it again. After quilting it, I want to donate it in memory of Jan Jackson to the Texas Project Linus chapter in her area. Jan and I were shopping together when I bought two of these fabrics, and I think a little cowboy in Texas would like it, especially since one of the fabrics has the word "Texas" all over it! (That fabric was a gift from our hostess, Debi.)

It also reminds me of all the cowboys I did not see in Texas!! LOL

Funky Fish for Project Linus

Here's my most recent quilt made from Sindy Rodenmayer's patterns. I'll be donating it to Project Linus in memory of Jan Jackson, a quilting buddy from the Quilting Passion Forum.

The two turquoise fabrics have an interesting story. In 2002 the public relations guy at the university where I worked asked me if he could do a little story and picture in the employee newsletter about the PL quilts I was making and donating. After publishing it there, he decided to send it as a news release to the local community journal paper. They published it on the front page.

A retiring fabric salesman (who represented the Alexander Henry line) saw the article and called the university, asking for me. He offered me his sample books! These are pretty good-sized pieces of fabric, showing all the colorways. When I tore apart all of the sample books, I had a pile of fabric pieces about 3 feet high and 4 feet wide!

About half of these fabrics were inappropriate for children's quilts. Many were dark florals. I posted about my good fortune on the QP forum, and a woman from Hawaii answered, saying that she collected those dark florals! She owned a quilt fabric shop and offered me a trade for new fabric! What a deal! I packed up a huge box, which cost me over $50 to mail to Hawaii, and she let me choose an equivalent weight in fabric from her website. The two turquoise fabrics in the above quilt were part of that deal. Amazing!! I got fabrics I could use for Project Linus, as the salesman had intended. (An additional note: I got $25 of the postage by making a talk about PL to a civic group. They also gave me thread and fabric!) I have received so many blessings through Project Linus work.

Mail Call! Fabric for Granddaughter's Quilt

The mail carrier just brought me my order of Country Essentials Spring fabrics from Connecting Threads. I'm really excited to get this because tiny granddaughter #2 is going to be born in three months! The fabrics shown are (from left): the backing, the outer border, the inner border, applique backgrounds, and assorted fabrics for 9-patches. (The colors are much truer on their website.) The bundle in plastic is a jelly roll of every fabric in the collection. My first jelly roll! I plan to use some of the strips in the jelly roll to add variety to the 9-patches--it has to be scrappy, or it wouldn't be from this Nana.

The plan is to make an applique center, set on point, with the baby's name, and then surround it with alternating 9-patches and daisy appliques. It will be similar to DGD #1's quilt, but with a different color scheme. I used butterflies for that one rather than the daisies.

DS told me the name they are planning to use, but I won't sew it on the block until she is born and officially named, in case they change their minds! I love the name and hope they don't decide on something else.

In case you were wondering, these fabrics are very nice quality IMHO for $5.96 a yard. I really had my doubts, considering the price, but they are good stuff. (No connection with the company, just a satisfied customer. I also didn't have to pay shipping because my order was over $50.)

More Kitchen and SuzGuz4

This week I made Block 4 from Susan Guzman's 2008 BOM series, and here it is. I've been told that it appears to be looking at you, and I now realize that it does look like it has nine eyeballs on it. Oh, well, I'm not doing it again! It will only be one of twelve blocks.

Here's the final side of the kitchen that you haven't seen yet. There are a few crumbs on the table, but you can't see that, right? I used to have small quilts hanging on that wall, but they just didn't fit with the new look. I plan to make a table runner soon. We can't have this room going "quiltless"!

The Kitchen is Finished!

As promised, here are some pictures of our finished kitchen "spruce up". I can't call it a remodel because we didn't change the cabinets or floor. However, we are very pleased with our new counters, back splash, wall color, and valances.

I am most proud of this part of the room. (It's directly opposite the sink wall.) We used to have double ovens on this wall. My dear husband did all the carpentry work to make the platter rack, microwave shelf, and storage drawer in their place, as well as installing our new oven. I think he's amazing!

That's the pantry on the right. The opening to the dining room is on the left.



Here is my new desk area, with its new counter top and tile. Now it's my job to keep from piling up any junk on the desk--very challenging!

In my next post, I'll turn the camera another way and show the table and far wall of the kitchen. (First, I have to clean all the mail off the table!)

What's on your wall?

There's a place on the wall at the top of the stairs where I hang seasonal quilts. Here's the one that is hanging there now. It was made from a Country Threads pattern, but if I remember correctly, I didn't make the whole pattern, just selected the elements I liked best. Actually, it should have some squirrels on it, because our back yard is full of those little frolicking critters this week. I think young squirrels' fancies have turned to thoughts of love!

What's on your wall?

Big Teddy--for Jan J

Wouldn't you just love to hug this big guy? Hopefully, that is what some sick child will do, and it will make her feel a little better.

(The bear design is by Sindy Rodemayer at www.fatcatpatterns.com The border is part of my effort to beat my stash into submission. Some of these prints are from the 1980's!)

The members of Quilting Passion Forum have been grieving recently because of the loss of a dear member, Jan Jackson of Texas. I just met her in person last December, at which time she seemed quite well. and I really enjoyed the time I got to spend with her. Her illness was short but devastating. Our forum is making and donating quilts to Project Linus in her memory, and this is one of them. He is going to the hospital with me on Friday to do his good work. I think Jan would like that.

Are you Left Brained or Right Brained?

You Are 65% Left Brained, 35% Right Brained

The left side of your brain controls verbal ability, attention to detail, and reasoning. Left brained people are good at communication and persuading others. If you're left brained, you are likely good at math and logic. Your left brain prefers dogs, reading, and quiet. The right side of your brain is all about creativity and flexibility. Daring and intuitive, right brained people see the world in their unique way. If you're right brained, you likely have a talent for creative writing and art. Your right brain prefers day dreaming, philosophy, and sports.

http://www.blogthings.com/areyourightorleftbrainedquiz/">Are You Right or Left Brained?

Two posts in one day! Amazing!

When I was taking the personality quiz that ends my blog page, I saw this one about left brain vs. right brain. (In case you can't read the results at the top, it said I am 65% left-brained and 35% right-brained.) I was pretty sure I knew what I was from taking previous inventories and also because I have become very aware of my learning style. I've also worked in some jobs that would be intolerable to a totally right-brained person! However, I was happy to see that this quiz gave me credit for some right brain function! I give quilting the credit for helping me expand my creativity and helping me to see things in pictures as well as words.

Why don't you take this quiz and post the results on your blog. If you do, would you post a comment to tell me you've done that?

Quilt Show Loot

It's not a big haul, but I'm happy. I went to the Bits 'n Pieces Guild's show today at Queeny Park in St. Louis County. It was a really good show this year, and they had almost all the vendors I wanted to see. (Last year That Thread Shop was there, and I got Aurifil thread, but they weren't there today.) I was invited to attend the next guild meeting, and I think I will probably go. As much as I love my internet buddies, I need some local quiting friends, too.

One of the features of the show was a group of quilts all made from the same pattern, one I bought in Dallas. It's called "Enchanted Autumn", and seeing those quilts inspired me to think about actually making that pattern. LOL

I had been thinking about the Nancy Halvorsen book and was happy to get it at a discount today. I'd like to do the Hearts Entwined table runner and maybe the tote bag. It's darling but really huge (22 x 18 x 10!) I got the bag pattern, "My Mom and Me" by This & That, two yellow fat quarters at only $1.25 apiece, quilt labels, and a cute stencil of a star and smiling crescent moon.

On a side note, I saw a personality test on Debi's blog and decided to take the test myself. The results are posted way down at the bottom of my blog. I'm a Type B+, they say. Debi is a Type A. I guess that makes me a lot like Debi, only with a lower energy level! I wish she could give me a transfusion!!

Row 3 of Debi's Roosting Robin Row by Row

I finally finished Row 3 of Debi's Roosting Round Robin Row by Row mystery quilt. This block is called "Carrie Nation". I call it "the block with too many pieces"! LOL Just what you would expect from an applique fiend!

I haven't purchased any fabric for this quilt and don't intend to do so. My goal was to make a little dent in my stash, primarly the plaids. (I had more plaids than any human needs.) Actually, I am going through them faster than I had anticipated, so I may have to go stash diving for more complementary fabrics.

Many of my plaids were also used recently in a brick pattern scrap quilt for my DD's job coach. She presented it to him today and said, "He didn't cry, Mom, but his eyes looked very wet." He just called to thank me profusely. I wish I had remembered to photograph that quilt!

Back to the row by row--here are my first three rows. This quilt is just not photographing well! It looks so much prettier in person, and the difference between the two light backgrounds I am using doesn't seem as great. I wish you could really see all the pretty plaids I am using, but they just don't show up. As you can see, I set the third row kind of differently. I kind of liked the zigzag effect, especially since the first row also has this look. At least I finished before the end of March and can't wait to see what Debi has in store for April!