Saturday, April 18, 2015

Weekend funsies

This has been a binding weekend so far. I mean the quilt binding, of course! I finished up three charity quilts yesterday and got the binding done, as well. I also wound up the first Lone Star quilt! The binding is on and it is ready to go to its new home.
Simple charity quilt from a kit
                             

Likewise, this one.
                           

Someone started to quilt this and gave up. I finished the blocks and the borders, and added binding (yet to be hand sewn)
                           

                             

Tim did this one on Friday. It rained in the afternoon, so he was forced to work inside.
                           

                             

Yippee!! It's completely done!
                           

A sweet customer needed a quilt done in a hurry for a child going for surgery in Atlanta, so I quilted and bound it for her yesterday. The pantograph is called Blast Off, and was perfect for the outer space themed quilt. I'm sure the little boy will love it!

                                

                                 

                                 

 Today was a prep day for a tutorial I'm doing at our guild's Sewcial; a meeting where ladies sew and have a demonstration of a project. I will be demonstrating the 2-3-2-6 quilt and how easy it is to do in a day. I cut out three of them today and sewed one to be quilted tomorrow. The other two will be in various stages of construction for demonstration purposes. I have had loads of fun!! That will be in the blog tomorrow, because I am too tired to go downstairs and take more photos. Silly me.

Tim spent the entire day in the yard, digging, planting and mowing. He was like a happy puppy out there in the dirt. The weather cooperated and after our usual Saturday night pizza, he hit the hay.
I love it here!!



















Wednesday, April 15, 2015

Tax day blues

We had to pay up this year, thanks to all of you wonderful customers! I never would have thought we would go over the estimated tax for the year, but we did so much work, we just had to ante up our share. Thank you; we are so grateful for your continued patronage.
Today, we worked in the studio because the weather wouldn't cooperate with Tim's ideas of digging and planting. He finished the last of the three deadline quilts and mailed them off to Florida.

                                      

                                        

I worked all day on the Lone Star quilt and finished it up! The binding is cut, but I just ran out of gas before I could get it sewn and pressed. There is always tomorrow! (Although, tomorrow is my sewing day with the Misty Mountain girls)
I made a huge pot of vegetable soup for lunches this week, so we're all set!
Here are the pictures of the Lone Star.
                                     
                                          









I had a fun day, and look forward to another one tomorrow. I think Tim will be outside. When the cat's away...the mouse will play!

Tuesday, April 14, 2015

Back in the saddle

We got a package of quilts with the morning mail, and my plan to start quilting the Lone Star was put on hold. One of the quilts has a deadline, so I pinned it on and quilted it this morning while listening to my murder mystery. It was a giant Packers quilt, and fun to do.The fabric selections were really well thought out and the whole quilt was a delight for this Packer fan to quilt!


Go Packers!!



Mr Wazoo did this before going outside to play



After a quick lunch, I started a huge batch of collard greens, answered some mail and paid a couple of bills. Then it was straight back to the studio and the start I have been anxious to do...the antique Lone Star quilt I restored and added background and borders to.

Stitch in the ditch done, and quilting the star started.

I am doing an elongated leaf pattern in each diamond. That should reinforce the hand stitched seams and flatten any 'poochy' spots.


Tim planted some sweet Johnny Jump Ups in these planters

The two forsythia shrubs are in.

Wanna be grossed out? These are fire ants!! Tim found two hills just beside the studio porch, put on the ant killer, and then the swarm of angry ants moved onto the concrete! He sprayed them with the hose back into the nest to die. Gross to the nth degree!

Tim also finished the lattice under the back porch to keep the critters out from underneath.

Molly likes her new walk. She doesn't have to get her nice white paws muddy. ha ha
Tim and Molly took a well deserved break at quitting time. He put in a hard day digging holes in the clay soil.

The mountains are greening up in stages, making them more interesting and beautiful. And how about those clouds?! The view changes every day. I love it.

Home again, Home again, Jiggidy Jog!

It rained all the way home from Texas, but we didn't mind...we're home! Poor Molly got into some fleas there and we have been treating her scratching and biting for days. Oh well, into every life a little rain must fall. Ha!
Yesterday, we ran errands and then took a fun visit to a couple of nurseries for trees and plants. Yup, still raining through the whole thing, but ever so lightly...just enough to spot up my glasses. You know what I'm talking about if you wear glasses. Its raining again today, so I don't think they will all get in the ground. Tim put in the hosta when we got home, so he's somewhat appeased.
Spring is in the air! Let's get some trees.

The discerning buyer picking out a red bud tree

I opted for this lilac. I miss them since leaving Wisconsin.

Oodles of veggies and herbs

A truckload of goodies for the yard
I really wanted to take some pictures of all the trees in bloom around the area, but the rain wouldn't cooperate. I did take just a few on the way home and in the yard.
The ever changing view on the road home from town

Our mountain in the background on the right.

Our dogwood tree is blooming! We were worried it may have been damaged during the construction, but it looks fine.

Can't see the mountain tops today, either. Low clouds add a mysterious touch to the view from the front porch.

Later, we went to Walmart for groceries, and there were the quilts from the guild!! They have a display there that changes with the seasons to get people interested in quilting and the guild. I have two quilts in the display! This is the Spring group, so I sent my Easter bunny quilt and my hand embroidered flowers and butterflies quilt. I think the display is a brilliant idea, and it sure livens up the area of the store!

One of my quilts hanging at our local Walmart.

Another of my quilts for the Spring display

All the quilts add a happy flair to the fabric department.

Last night, I finished the hand sewing on the binding of my latest quilt. This was a tutorial from Missouri Star Quilt Company that I made at a retreat and just recently quilted. It is a big one, so I draped it over the queen bed in the guest room for photos.



Ta da! I think they look like envelopes.

The backing is a really soft plaid shirting fabric from Pennsylvania

The fabric line is Eclectic Elements.
Today, I will be starting quilting on the first lone star customer quilt. Rainy days are good for quilting! Off to the studio! Meanwhile, Mr Wazoo will be dodging raindrops to add more foliage to our landscape.

Baby hosta, cooling their feet in the moist soil.