Baby Steps

What a great name for this quilt!  I put it together this morning while it rained outside.  it is about 42 x 48, just the perfect size for baby steps!

On Sunday, we had lunch in Hammond with the family of Maylee and delivered her the quilt and the little doll quilt.  Her eyes got huge when she saw the tiny quilt!  It was so funny watching her.  I think it ended up with ketchup all over it because she wouldn't let go of it all during dinner!

The accord drove beautifully and got 37.8 miles per gallon, and that car is loaded with all kinds of stuff.  Technology is really improving.  He works in the oil and gas field and it was a bit distressing to see that, but on the other hand he was totally amazed by the staggering figures!  I think he loves that car.

Frank spent the morning with the two "little girls" who work at the dealership and assist old people with setting up their phone and iPod and XM stuff in the new cars.

He called me and said he needed the Really Really Remedial Course and they told him he could come back as many times as he needed to.  

We shall see what balance his male ego has with his eye for young cute blondes who giggle and help him.  Hmm......maybe I should have gone with him!

But then again, I think having lunch Sunday with Maylee's dad (who is his age) will keep him on the straight and narrow!  LOL.   Yep!

Working On Maylee's Quilt

No interest in football whatsoever and all they have on TV is hype.  So I spent the morning making apple pies from the numerous apples that were ready to die on my countertop.  I had suggested to Frank that we ride to get some lunch.  Uncle O's seemed like a good destination so we scouted out a few other riders and headed out.

Not open.....hmmmm.  On a Sunday?  Well, he couldn't make his mind up after that and we rode by several places before settling on Albasha Lebanese food.  That makes for a total of 6.4 miles to counteract the calories of the gyros and hummus.  And we did 3.6 on Friday so that is a good easing into the spring ride season.


The trees in the yard are getting ready to pop out in leaves.  How deep blue the sky is today!  We sat and watched the bassets hunt for stuff that must be starting to wake up and move around in the warmer temperatures.

You can see we are coming out of a medium level winter, not overly cold and not warm either.  And we always get Spring early.  But don't let that fool you, we will have one more freeze before it is over and all those buds will fall right off!

I am wondering if all the caladiums will come up again or if I need to replant.  I replanted last year and had a million come up from the years before as well.

And in a bit I will work on Maylee's quilt again.  I am using the new Quantum Stylist because it has that cool wavy stitch.  I had to elongate it but I learned another thing about the machine!

I will have this finished by tonight and maybe the binding put on.  I want to give it to Frank to bring to Dennis after my guild meetings this week.  I need to show it off a bit!

Design Wall Monday 1-21-13

This is what, the 3rd week of the year!  My design wall was pathetically empty until 9 o'clock last night.  I decided I needed to put a baby quilt together for the Scottish lad born to the son of my godsister last week. She is heading to Scotland to see him and I want to send it to her to take with her.  She is in California.  It started out with a pile of jewel tone scraps and a wild Kidz Jungle print. by 1 am I had this beauty that went from this:

To this:

And I still have jewel tone scraps left over!  LOL.  Do you ever really get rid of all the scraps?

Look at those cute dogs

I did some zipper pouches on Sunday afternoon rather than sit in the warm sunshine and soak up rays.  Look at those great poodles on them.  The fabric came from Ann's Philly trip.

And I have the Reflections quilt to work on again.  And Maylee's quilt top is finished and needs a back and to be quilted.  I need to get the Southwest finished and off the frame to put Maylee's on there.  It is sooo cute!

Since we may have a different group of peoples here I am going to ask my sewing machine question here as well.

QUESTION:

My little Brother sewing machine that cost all of $79 three years ago now refuses to set the tension to any setting.  It will cost more to have the sewing machine guy look at it than I paid for it.  So I am in the market for a new machine.

I want to spend about $200 to $400, have a drop feed dogs, needle up/down and the ability to have a walking foot.  It is the machine I would take to classes and retreats and the Red Stick.  My big machine is too expensive to be hauling around and getting in the humidity and dropping it and all.

So what do you have that you like?  I am so confused with all the things that are out there.  Help!

glen

Maylee's Top is Finished!!!!

And on my Birthday Eve!!  I had the picture but had to leave for my fiber group meeting.   Yep, and tomorrow (actually today if you are reading this on Thursday morning) is my birthday.  That means people must be nice to me and take me to dinner, and give me presents!  LOL!

Of course people must take me to dinner on my Birthday Eve as well!  So before the Fiber Group meeting Franklin took me to get California BLTs and the best onion rings in the city!

Here is the first border on my nice clean kitchen floor.




And here is the finished top!

I thought you might like to see my very messy design wall, what in my room is not messy, I ask you?

At my fiber group, we showed our work on the hibiscus, remember my guy?  And worked through a roadblock Judy had on one of her pieces.  It was an ephemeral piece of a cypress tree in the swamp.  I didn't take a photo of it, I wanted to.

The next project is to take a book title and interpret it.  First Renee thought that we should do a New York Times Best Seller list book, then someone said, Fifty Shades of Grey.  And that went straight to our evil side!  So I looked up some stuff, and got an education..........

This will be interesting!

BRRRRR! Inside Quilting Today!

The rain held off yesterday all day and that allowed the canals to drain a bit.  Mind you, the water is still very high.  And with the overcast sky with 100% humidity, nothing is even drying.  We have ponding in our yard when it generally drains exceptionally well due to the efforts of my hydrologist wannabee husband.

The temp right now on my covered and protected back porch is 34.  We did get a chance to take the wild hellions for a walk to the end of the street but it sprinkled on us the entire time.  Now they are anything but like in this picture, bouncing off the walls and needing exercise!

Out of self preservation we took the boys and Chloe to get their nails trimmed.  For short trips, DiNozzo is fine.  If it is much longer than the vet or Petsmart, he tosses his cookies.

I am going to get the borders on Maylee's Quilt in a bit.  I can't wait to see it to that stage.  And it will go to the Guild next week with me for a really wonderfully exciting show and tell.

AND I GET THE ELLIES!

glen

OMG! Do I Love This Quilt or What!

I never want to give this quilt away!  I want my own baby clothes!  I want a quilt like this!

OMG!

The center is finished.  I lost one of the little hot pink bows, but it should turn up soon.  I am hoping it is not in the belly of the beast we call McGee.  It would be something he would be attracted to.

I am thinking that tomorrow will be the day for the borders.

I am thinking that I love this quilt.

Maylee and Reflections

Tuesdays at Red Stick started up again, if anyone wants to come and join us.  We usually get there between 10-10:30 AM and leave anywhere from noon to 7 PM closing.  I generally leave about 1 or 2 unless Frank is at home to let the dogs out.  I never know his schedule.

But COME and sew with us!  Great lighting, great tables, lots of space!  And lots of FABRIC!

In fact, today's words of wisdom from Danielle are:

Your life is your art.  

How true

Reflections has the light lavender batik on the edges.  Now they are looking like circles, not what I want so I may still be arranging them to live another way.  Hmm. Two blocks are sewn together so far.  I tried to put two lights or two darks together.  I may have to do some ripping, but it should be negligible any way I go.

I worked all day on Maylee's quilt yesterday.  It is looking amazing!
It started off with a few blocks together:






Then grew to this:

I cut two bows from the straps of a little dress and will use them as embellishments.  I am loving this one.

I sent a picture to Betty Jean and she is loving it too!  Can't wait to see it finished.  I am trying for as show and tell at REME, at least as a top.

Remember the back for Maylee's Quilt?  I am loving it too!  See how just totally perfect it is?  I made a great selection, I did!

glen

Whole lot of rain and a little bit of sewing going on

On Wednesday, I drove down to to Middendorfs to have a long lunch with Cousin Karen and finally get our Christmas present to exchanged.  We had the famous thin fried catfish Middendorf's does so beautifully.  Oh my, that is good.

Cousin Karen gave me a basket full of foods to cook.  She knows I LOVE to cook.  Lots of great looking soups and seasonings.  Can't wait to get into some of those packages.

The weather was so bad on the way down, the fog was thick as pea soup,  I took several photos to show you what a brave girl I am, driving on my ow.  In a torrential storm.  I definitely had my big girl panties on!  Normally you can see the cypress trees that line the bayou along the elevated highway.  You can barely see the vehicle in front of me.




There were several accidents along the way where people had skidded off the roadway.





 There should be no water in this photo!  That is not a lake, it is runoff that has not yet runoff into the Amite River.  Right along the side of the highway.






I went yesterday to have my hair done, I now sport some stripes!  Yes, I look sort of like a tigress!  Beware!

This afternoon I helped a friend set up a blog.  It was like the blind leading the blind as some times.  She would say somthing, I would think it meant something else.  Then we would laugh.

I started on Maylee's quilt.  First I cut up the cute little onesies and piled them up.  Then I put a double sided, oh what do you call it, stitch witchery stuff, on the back and trimmed them down a bit.  Then I adhered them to a thin white fabric to server as a stabilizer.  I like doing that better than

 I decided to put a sashing around each block since they are all different sizes and colors.  I was making it up as I went along!  Imagine that!

Here is what I ended up with so far

I have been a very bad girl..........

I really have!  And it was so much fun!

Ann and I decided to ditch the sewing at Red Stick yesterday in favor of meeting the owner of the newest shop in town Mia's Fabric Cafe, Anita.  And her daughter.  It was so nice to finally meet the two of them.

Maylee back

Maylee sashing and cornerstones

Mia's is having pretty nice sale on fabric, as you can imagine.  And I indulged like a heathen!  I have 15 yards to ADD to my stash report on Sunday.  But what beauties they are!  And most have some sort of a plan.

This is for the baby quilt I will start soon for Maylee.  Remember Cutesy Pie Maylee?


These crawfish beauties are just the right combination for a spring quilt for South Louisiana.  I think they are supposeed to be lobsters, but no self respecting Louisiana girl will call them that, they are crawfish plain and simple.

Golden dots for the binding of Matt's Saints Quilt.  It neesds to get done soon, I am sure my cuz Karen will be calling soon for our Exchange Dinner.  Hers is finished, but Matt's hangs in there!

These are just because I coud not resist stripes and grey checkerboards.

Then at the Remember Me Christmas Party we had such wonderful food.  Lillian and her committee did a fabulous job with the food and the decorations.  When I walked into the room I saw a table covered with beautifully wrapped prizes.  One stood out to me, it was huge and bright green with red Santas bounding all over it!  It called to me.  I answered.  I wanted that big prize!

It was like a Christmas miracle come to life.  After 30 years of cruising and playing bingo cards on those cruise ships, I finally won a BINGO!  Lillian called the final number that put me into BINGO range and I exploded!  Pat already had the huge green present in her arms to deliver to my overflowing excitement! 

This is what it was!  Snapware!  Glorious Snapware!  Oh, I see organizational greatness in 2013.

Most everyone got letters from Santa telling them they were on the Naughty list and should not be watching for Santa this year!

It was a great Remember Me Party!

The most perfect piece of fabric

You know that feeling when you find just the most perfect piece of fabric for a project?  Well I hit that just now.

I have a commission for a baby quilt for a friend's daughter from some of her clothes.  They want to remember her first year.  (I wish I had thought of that for Carrie all those years ago!)

And I have been searching for just the right fabric for the back.  And here it is:  Don't you just love it?  Well, don't you?

To Do List for Today

Not that I will get everything done, but I wanted to make a to do list for today.  Most of it involves sewing something, so it is good for you to see this.  And I want you to all marvel at how "organized" I am, at least for this morning.

I have for a long time, wanted to make pouches for each of the machines I have.  I want to have all the accessories and necessary items for each machine in a kit of sorts.  but I have never gotten around to making them.  I have developed a nice idea that each machine should be color coded and thus, all its stuff will make it back into the right pouch.  Or like, if I am going to a retreat and want to bring a specific machine, I can just pick up the right color pouch and have ALL the stuff I need.

Not that it has ever happened before that I actually have all the stuff I need when I go to a retreat.  Everyone knows that I have a great husband who has no problem bringing whatever I need, provided he can find it in my very messy and totally unorganized quilt room.  He has even brought stuff for OTHER people.  He is just that nice of a guy.

1.  I need to make three color coded pouches large enough to hole a whole set of stuff for each machine.

I am doing three blog hops.  One of which will be when I am on a retreat in two weeks.  So I need to have everything set up for that one, and the next one at least begun and scheduled.

2.  Do the tutorial for Leafs Me Happy for my post and link to the tutorial.  I have it completed, I just need to make my leaf in fall colors to comply with the theme.  Not a problem as they are pretty easy to do!  And I love them.

Betty Jean called me yesterday and asked if I could make a quilt for her little girl who is going to turn 2 in a couple of months.  LOL.  She is good, she didn't call me the week before!  I made the baby girl a quilt when she was born and she takes it everywhere!  I love it.  That is the perfect quilt!

Maylee back

Maylee's Baby Quilt

I have some ideas but I don't have her email address.  I did give her mine, and ask her to send me some of her ideas that she likes, but I have not heard from her yet.  I am chafing at the bit wanting to get started on something for her.  And I just had the idea to include one of her shirts and one of Dennis' shirts as well!  My, am I smart or what?

The picture was taken 7-11

3.  Get Betty Jean's email and exchange some baby quilt ideas with her.

I have this blue jean quilt, remember that?  I bought some red cotton to quilt it with but I have not been able to find that stuff anywhere.  So I guess it is time to buy more, it has been nearly 7 months now.  Maybe more than that.  Yep.  Maybe I need to section it to make two quilts.  This was only 4 pairs of blue jeans and the infamous dockers Frank asked me if I could do anything with.  See that hilarious story here.

4.  So I need to head to Hobby Lobby or Joann's to get red perle cotton for hand quilting.

The stupid cute little boy dog McGee rolled in something dead two days ago.  Frank stood there and laughed at him, positioning his shoulder to get maximum coverage.  And I mean dead like in Casey Anthony's trunk dead.  Boy did he smell bad.  I washed him off with some antibacterial spray from the kitchen.  No good.  I took kitchen detergent and washed him up and down his back.  No good.

Then I took some Nature's Miracle Dog Shampoo designed to get out the most stubborn basset smell, and it was no good even!  So about every 6 hours I wash him down with something else.  This morning he is  better.  But the remnant of the smell occasionally wafts in my direction.  He thinks he smells wonderful.  As does DiNozzo, he keeps going over to McGee and smelling up and down his back.  Two peas in a pod, those two are.  I am sure the REAL DiNozzo would be making fun of poor McGee by now.  Maybe he is, you never know what dogs are saying to each other.

5.  Wash McGee.  Again.

I need to cook tonight.  Chicken.  We had meat loaf for the last two days so I need chicken now.  I am thinking something Mexican, maybe chicken enchiladas.  I ate the sour cream I bought for it when I ate the flat pretzel chips the other day.  It was good and I kept saying, only one more, I need this for the enchiladas........you know how that goes.

6.  Take chicken out to defrost.  And put my recipe up for you to enjoy.  And ge more sour cream.

I am sure there is more, but if I don't get out and do some of this, the day will be gone.

glen