The worst is yet to come?????

Many have talked about what the "worst" part of making a quilt is. I'm not particularly fond of the sandwich part - you know, top, batting, and backing. It usually takes me all day to line that baby up. Just when I think I have it just right.....well, think again kiddo! LOL!
That's what I'm up against now. I've finished the top to my nephew Cody's quilt. And now it's time to put it together..
Dear Cody is such a patient young man - I've been working on this quilt for awhile. It's for his birthday, which was several days ago. I was using one the Turning Twenty books - had all my blocks pieced but when it came time to cutting them in half.....disaster struck. I had cut them all wrong. Yes, all 20. So, after the wailing, weeping and gnashing of teeth - gee that happens a lot to me doesn't it? :-) - I took them all apart, redid them, and put it back together. Hence, the picture above.
So, to paraphrase Marvel's The Thing, "It's Sandwiching Time!"

Oh, and if you've noticed that bucket of cats litter on the bottom right, you'll remember that I have two assistants. Yes, they continue to be a big help, laying on top of the quilt as I sew, checking it for comfort. Apparently it is comfortable as they have both fallen asleep on it. Yes, Cody, I will wash it before sending it to you! LOL!

Yes - she's back! LOL!

I'll bet you've been wondering where I've been! Did she abandon the blog? Nah - just busy quilting and crafting. So here are a few pictures of the things I'm working on....


This is the quilt I making for my oldest daughter, Stephanie who is serving in the U.S. Navy.




This is a close-up of one of the blocks - like you couldn't figure that one out! LOL




This is a quilt that I made for my niece, Morgan.




This is one that I made for my nephew, Alex.



I'm now working on a quilt for my nephew Cody. In fact, I've made several quilts this years for nieces and nephews but forgot to take pictures of them before sending them out. So, someday I'll post them when I do get pics!

And it's that time of year when most of us are busy crafting for the holidays...or if you're like me, you quilt/craft year round for them!

Let me know what you're working on in your part of the world.

Until my next post...God Bless!

I'd rather be golfing...

It's finally done - "I'd Rather Be Golfing". In the picture l - r, Gayle, who is married to Greg (Jack and Carol's middle son), Jack, and Carol.
I think he was really touched by it - and it was certainly unexpected.
Again, many thanks to the folks at Fat Quarter World for allowing me to use their "shadow golfer" which is the centerpiece of the quilt.

http://www.fatquarterworld.com





Just because he's so cute, here's a picture of my grandson Aiden. Nikki, my middle daughter, is holding him. Nikki shaved her head several weeks ago to support her Grandpa Jack as he underwent chemo.

And that's why they're my favorite local quilt shop!

Lo and behold, I received a phone call from Heart to Heart telling me my machine was ready - the same day I took it in! How awesome is that! Fun people and hard workers!
So, without further ado and guilding the lily, here's the quilt top. Dh Mike is holding it up. He's a bit over 6 feet so that will give you an idea of the size of the quilt.
Also, to be fair, here's a picture of my other helper, Patrick - have you noticed we have a penchant for yellow/butterscotch tabby cats?

We interrupt this program...

You've heard of wailing and weeping and gnashing of teeth...
It's one of those days. My sewing machine gave up the ghost and it is now time to take it into the local quilt shop to have it worked on. Oh, I knew I was living on borrowed time. I was just hoping I would have the quilt done this weekend.
I do have some hand sewing - finishing up pillowcases, repair work that's been sitting gathering dust. Oh you know what I mean - the clothes we forgot we had and had to buy new ones - last year's summer shorts...holes in forgotten shirts, buttons that fell off.....
But just think...I get to clean, re-arrange, pick-up,... etc. Yeah - like that will be fun. :-(
But, in all honesty, it will give me time to get the spare bedroom ready for my daughter and our grandson who will be coming to visit this month. So that's very good news. The silver lining and all that - I just won't be sewing that silver lining! LOL!
Meanwhile, I'll let you enjoy a picture of one of my helpers - this is Velcro - and as you can see, he is usually in the middle of everything!

My "panel" is finished!

Today I worked on the "panel" part of the quilt. I enlarged the shadow on my computer and printed it out. I then took my fusible webbing and ironed it onto the back of the black material. Then, I outlined the shadow onto the paper side of the fusing, careful to outline it on the wrong side - golfer on right - so when you turn the material around, the shadow has the golfer on the left.
I also have my 5" squares (golf cart fussy cuts) and and the 2 1/2 " rectangles ready to attach. However, I don't have the little 2 1/2 " squares cut yet. I'm still debating what colors to use.
Unfortunately, the colors of the picture are not as true as I would like - the blue should be less violet and the green more of a lime.

If you would like to see the line Hole In One, please visit the good folks at Fat Quarter World!

http://www.fatquarterworld.com


I now have a deadline for this quilt - June 6th is Jack's birthday but I want him to have it by the 7th at the latest because the 8th is his next treatment. So the deadline is a good thing. That means I have to get off my duff and get to work! What? Don't you work well under pressure of a deadline? LOL!

Oh and more good news - my dd Steph and grandson Aiden will be home mid-June on leave from the Navy. Soooo looking forward to it!

First post - now how original is that? :-)

It all started with me trying to create a quilt for my father in law who is undergoing chemo treatments for prostate cancer. By the way - Guys - do yourselves and your loved ones a favor and get yourselves checked, ok? No matter how humiliating it can be! Hey if WE can endure getting body parts smashed, YOU can get checked too!
Anyway, some great material came out called Hole in One from Clothworks designed by Anne Ormsby. I saw that Fat Quarter World was carrying it and they had a great design for it. So,, I promptly ordered it, begged to use their shadow design, and, taking their design and adding my own, I start my journey.
Now, for those of you who quilt, what annoys you the most while waiting to get started? Washing, drying and ironing the material or wondering and worrying if you ordered enough? If you answered yes! (My husband is shaking his head here), I agree!
So, the picture above is my first step. I knew you'd like it.