It's done!

Too many days at work, too little time, but I managed to get the quilts done for the condo finally.

I just love McKenna Ryan! I took this block and stretched it over an artist canvas to replace a picture on the wall. It sure makes for a great way to showcase that perfect quilt or block.

Then we adjusted a few more blocks from this line to make a quilt to hang over the bed. A head board so to speak!

It was a rush to finish and deliver before I headed up north for the rest of the month. Unfortunately I didn't have time to get a great photo of it.  I definitely need to improve my photographs of quilts. This looks terribly wonky, but it isn't in real life. Really, it isn't !!  :-)

3 weeks of rest and relaxation, and hopefully a lot of sewing. I know there are boxes to pack, as young son is moving back home this summer, but I will work that in between my other projects!  :-)  I have a suitcase full of em packed!

:-)

Not too sure just what I will have for Internet access this time, but I will post as I can!

Update on the new job. They are wonderful folks, who have graciously agreed to allow my crazy schedule, to work with their training. My first day was delightful. What is not to love about sharing my sewing crazies with everyone, and having fun at the same time? The cash register must have balanced as I haven't been fired yet!  :-) I definitely have something fun to look forward to coming home to!

 Happy Stitchin!

Just Why???

Just why is it, that when I have my feet to the fire and things that have to be done, I can manage to get side tracked at a heartbeat?

I know that I need to finish the McKenna Ryan quilt, and today would have been a perfect time to get to it, but... no, I find yet again something else to start!

Have you seen the Project House 360 BOM? Click here to check it out!  It knocked my socks off. So today I had to play. I enlarged my pieces and wanted to make sure things went together correctly before I cut into my quilt fabric. I just pulled a bunch of leftovers to play with for my practice run.

The pattern fit like a dream, but I did learn a couple of things. First off the secondary rays didn't show up as well as I had expected. Darn, it looked fabulous in my mind!  LOL!!  But it's good information to know before I make the same mistake with my "good" fabric. Second, is that while you can't see it here, the background had more of a directional print than I had noticed, and that does not make for great paper piecing fabric. I am so glad this practice piece paid off in knowledge. I threw some borders on it and will call it a free motion quilting opportunity, so all is not lost. What the heck I have a new wall hanging. Now where can I find extra wall space????

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 I got a phone call today that made my heart leap with joy!

You see, I have been contemplating retirement from the airlines for some time now. I have been back and forth deciding, but today I know it's May 1 for sure. You see I am going to work for .... ta ta ta daaaa...  a sewing machine shop.

Is that perfect for me or what? Actually its the place I have gotten all my machines from, and the people that I have done business with for about 12 years now. I am just delighted, they are great folks. In fact I will be starting training in the next week or so, just 1 day a week until May 1, the magic day.  Oh happy dance, happy dance!

Oh no, what do I wear??? I have been in a uniform for 17 years now. No one will know who I am in civillian clothes. Heck I don't even own anything else but jeans. Wonder if I can make this compass quilting into a new dud???? Second thought, rays across my rear would probably not be all that appealing to have to look at!    :-) :-)  :-) So as to not scare the public I won't!

Yeah haw, I get to go shopping. New wardrobe!!

I really haven't been slackin'

Nope, not at all. But I did have to work a lot of days last week, which cut dramatically into my stitching time!

But...

Here is a peek at what has been going on in my studio!

This is the beginning of the Hoop Sisters BOM machine embroidery from last year. And for the record, I am not a year behind, I just saw this and bought it for myself at Christmas.

36 blocks, my hand dyes and hours of stitching time. Each block averages about a hour. I am so glad they make home embroidery machines. I can't imagine doing this by hand.  :-)  Where were we, before all these toys we have now?  :-)


McKenna Ryan was calling me too. This has been on the back burner for awhile now, but I have to get it done. It's a commission quilt of sorts. I promised it for a friend, for her ski condo last year. I am so glad I have patient friends. 

My blocks are fused and ready for me to start quilting. I am looking forward to my next days off!  :-)  Don't we always! Looks like I will have plenty to do!


Keep on stitchin'...

Chocolate Bliss

With the big V day rapidly approaching, nothing is better than seeing happy people with their Heavenly Chocolate Bliss quilts under way.

                               Theresa and Ruth busy working on a block!
 Theresa has not quilted before and I have to tell you, she put her nose to the grind stone and turned out 10 beautiful star blocks, and those blocks are buggers!  I am so thrilled for her. It was fun to see her light up with ever step she conquered!
  Theresa I am so proud of you! I wish I had taken a photo of your lovely  blocks.  And I need more practice with the phone camera!  Gheez, is this fuzzy or what!

          Ruth  has her blocks all done, and has done some fabulous
          things with embellishments, like the lace on her pie here!
          You should see all her fun buttons, beads and baubles!!!
           I can hardly wait to see them all put together. She's a hand
          quilter too. WOW!!  Dare I tell you about her organization?
       She had her pattern in a notebook with dividers and then added
        all kinds of photos from magazines, and recipes for each and
         every block. She brought in a new Food Network (I think)
         magazine that was dedicated to Chocolate this month!  Yummy!
                        

Kelly was an inspiration to all of us. She fussy cut all her pieces, and digitized fun little sayings for her 2 1/2" blocks and even digitized the little "kisses" tabs for Hershey Kisses. Something we all decided we had to have! I have never seen piecing as precise and meticulous as she does. I have something to aspire to now.

WOW  WOW!!!

Stephanie has never quilted but is a spectacular garment sewer. She went to town on this quilt and got "er" done!  I think we have hooked yet another "Quilter" in our little world here!! :-)  :-)  Yeah Steph!!

Everyone brought so much inspiration to their quilts. Like the pattern wasn't fun enough, adding all the personal touches just makes them "POP". I believe it was Ruth who, scanned chocolate candy wrappers and photo transferred them, for her quilt. Now how cool is that??  And does that open a entire direction for this quilt?
                                                       
                               :-)

Nothing makes an instructor happier than a class like this. You girls just made my day... month... heck YEAR!!!!!

Welcome to my play pen

                         :-)

If you have dropped in from Stash Manicure, welcome welcome.  Actually even if you haven't dropped in from there, I am thrilled to see you!!

I've had so much fun playing with leftovers. It's such a great way to make up a very unique piece of art fabric. Just in case you missed my post over at Stash Manicure, it is been "rerun" just for you, one post below.

You might also like to take a look at a post I put up a couple of years back, on making thread fabric. Same idea, different filler inside the water soluble sandwich. 




Here's the link...
http://moosestashquilting.blogspot.com/2009/01/going-green-with-thread.html

And now for your ideas.  I have a jar of thread and a bag of dog ears!  What to do, what to do???




So follow along with me, and we will explore many fun ways to play.

See you soon!
I can hardly wait to hear from you!!  :-)