Shopping for New Swim Suits

One of my two swim suits that I use for water aerobics bit the dust.  It was a Delta Burke too.  Since Dillards was having a 70% off sale I decided to go, guessing that my second back-up Delta Burke could blow out at any time!!  Well let me tell you, I tried on about 20 suits, no kidding, and came home with 2.  One was $14.00 on sale and the other was $28.00.  I'm not a skinny minny though I AM trying to get there.  

I also wanted to pick up the current issue of Southern Living.  The girls I do water aerobics with said there was a to die for salad recipe with fennel and apples.  Passing close to our local Walmart I swung in to grab the magazine and decided to look at their swim suits.  I didn't have any high expectations, but they had one style, a simple ribbed tank which I decided to try on.  It had definite possibilities, depending on the price.  I took a look at the price tag and it said $16.00.  I thought, what the heck?, So I got one of those.  I figure if the high priced suits fall apart I might as well buy the cheap ones, or those on sale, they are only going to get eaten by chlorine and eventually fall apart too, so why spend the money?  I'll let you all know how that Walmart suit holds up. 

I don't know about you, but trying on clothes wears me out.  I think I may take a nap!

Crumb blocks

Had a blast working on crumb blocks almost all weekend!  It rained on and off both Saturday and part of Sunday.  I completed 56 blocks, but sadly didn't make a dent in my mountain of crumbs and strings.

I also worked on my freehand pumpkins, and will work on that quilt tomorrow.  I did finish a different customer quilt this morning.

Crumbs & Strings & Pumpkins

The first thing I need to do today is practice a pantograph I haven't done in a while.  This pumpkin pattern is going on a customer's quilt and it's an old pattern where you have to shift the paper pattern every row to stagger the pumpkins forming an interlocking pattern, what a pain, the new ones are NOT like this.  So I've got to make a muslin sandwich, get it on the machine and get the rhythm down.  Might need lots of music for this one.

And then there were crumbs and strings, oh my!  As you can see I have been taken over by them, so today we tame the wild...

 Last night while I was watching the Saints play I played with a few crumbs and finished 6 crumb blocks.  I'm squaring these up to 6.5", I'm really not sure why, just cuz.  They are calling for rain today, so a mindless day of crumbing is just what I need.

Ta Daa!!

And it's finished!  Binding and all.  I can ship it tomorrow, and continue to get quilts finished for my customers.

Fishy Fishy in the brook

Here is the baby quilt for our friends in Alaska.  I am about to put it on the longarm to quilt, but am stuck on the thread color.  After bringing out about 15 spools of thread I have narrowed it down to 4.  I decided on the pantograph pattern Raindrops by School House Designs and Willow Leaf Studios.  I tried to find the link but the pattern must not be available any longer. 

I can give the link to the quilt pattern which is from Bonnie Hunter's website at quiltville.com.  The pattern is called A Streak of Sunshine.  This is one of my favorite quick quilts to make. 

And so I'm off to quilt.

I'm back & busy

The farm and the black angus in Greentop, MO

I got back late on Monday night, flight was late out of Kansas City, which meant I missed my connection in Houston.  I just couldn't get up for my water aerobics class on Tuesday, if you remember my class is at 5:45 am.  I did get to the gym on Wednesday and to my water aerobics class this morning.  I began my battle to lose weight two months ago and have since lost 15 pounds.  Definitely not breaking any records for losing the weight fast, truth is, it is coming off very slowly.  Lots of hard work.

My visit was wonderful, and very relaxing, and needless to say, the visit with my daughter was priceless.

My daughter Nikki

I've been working on customer quilts since I've been back.  Things are beginning to get busy.  In my off time I'm working on a baby quilt that is going to our friends in Fairbanks.  I'll try to get a picture tomorrow. 

And she's off!

Heading to northern Missouri to see my daughter, found a good price on a flight.  Carry-on is packed and I'm ready to go.  Can't wait to see her again.

New toys

Yesterday I received my templates in the mail from BayCreek Quilting Products.  I order acrylic templates from them and I love the accuracy and service from this company.

I ordered the three sizes of the Improved 9 patch, in the 6", 8" and 10" sizes.  I was so excited to get them yesterday in the mail that I had to make one up just to try it out.

Easy does it today

I finished the big Tshirt quilt on Monday after a marathon day.  By Monday night I knew I'd done myself in, so I paid for it yesterday with a major headache.  I worked on a few more 3" squares from a leaders and enders project but that was about it.

Today I cut some muslin squares for my project with Heartstrings Quilt Project.  I've only just joined but had gone to their website many times because I have several bins full of strings, so many that the one bin was overflowing and I had to separate them by colors.  I am always looking for a group who participates in good deeds.  What is that saying, many hands make the load lighter...something like that.

So before it got too hot here today I cut a stack of muslin foundation squares.

And on another note, my son who lives in Fairbanks was caribou hunting and got a nice bull.  Most of the meat they eat is wild game, or fish, so they are always greatful for a good hunt to fill the freezer for the long winter.

Taking time for mindless piecing

I worked all weekend, but in the evenings and early mornings I did some mindless sewing.  You know, the kind that doesn't need any matching of colors, or thinking involved?  I had some (okay a lot) of 3.5" squares, why that size I don't know, just did.  Thinking of a way to use them up but not get too involved, I decided to just sew the squares together in rows.  I put 18 squares in a row.  I figure that would be 54 finished inches for the width of a quilt, borders to be determined later if at all. 

As I finished a row I'd roll it up and put it in a zippie bag.  I have about 50 of these rolls so far and as you can see I have more 2 patches ready to sew into more rows.  I'm thinking I could make a couple of charity quilts from this. 

But I should have been working on my Winter Frost UFO, Bad Girl!!

More quilting...

I am immersed in a Tshirt quilt that I am working on for a customer, having fun doing custom things on it.  I'm hoping to get this one finished in the next few days.  After donating platelettes yesterday I was really tired to not much got done yesterday.  Some days are just like that.

Donate Blood, Give the Gift of Life

I donated platelettes today, (no I don't get paid) its always a good feeling to know that my blood donation makes a difference in someone's life.  Please look into donating in your area.

Dentist today

I'm heading to the dentist first thing this morning and then it's back home to quilt a T-shirt quilt for a customer.  I don't see a workout in my plans today.

Next Up...

The next UFO quilt up to finish is the Winter Frost quilt that I started a while back .  I got this fabric when I visited my son and his wife in Alaska a few years ago.

And I always try to do a leaders and enders project so this is going to be a D9P.

It's another busy quilting day at the longarm machine along with a quilt delivery for a customer.   

Busy Weekend

I was able to finish my maple leaf quilt:

And I am this far on my Leaders and enders quilt.  But I'm toying with the borders, I think just a black binding would be good, but to make it a bit bigger I could add some borders, so I will think on that one.  It is measuring 36.5" square right now.

Today is a work day for me, meaning another customer quilt to get finished, no workout today.

Remember those leaders and enders?

I've kept this project by my machine so that I can make progress on it.  This leader and ender project is coming along, can't believe how wonderful this method is, and what becomes of a few seconds more at the machine.  Not to mention that it keeps those stray threads down to a minimum.  One of our cats Sage, loves thread and several years ago she ate some thread, and eventually had to have surgery to remove it.  That was a costly lesson!  I tried to get a picture of her this morning to share with you, but she wasn't cooperating.

To learn more about leaders and enders and Bonnie Hunter's website, click here.

Quilting the maple leaf flimsy

I was able to get to the maple leaf today and do the quilting.  I debated whether to do custom, which it really should have, or an allover, and since I wanted to get it finished sooner than later, I did an overall pantograph called Tendrils.  Tomorrow; binding.

Zumba & Quilting

Oh good grief, my first zumba class today, talk about a workout.  But it was so fun, and no, I couldn't keep up, I was out of sync, a real basket case to look at, I'm sure, but I just kept a movin' and a shakin', and a sweatin'...!!

I'm finishing up a customer's quilt today and after that I'm taking a suggestion from Mary K. and am going to get out some handwork.  Not because it's crummy outside, but because I'm spent for the day, LOL.  Sun is shining so far today, and not as hot an usual, only 89 at 11:ooam, but rain will come this afternoon, our usual summer pattern.

And will I do zumba again?, oh yes!

All Quilting Day with no workout

Yep, I got all the way to the Y this morning, got into the pool getting ready for our water aerobics class, just chit chattin with the gang when the lifeguard tells us we have to get out of the pool because of lightning.  Even though it is an indoor pool they don't take any chances.  And I missed yoga because I got involved in a quilt and was on a roll.  But the quilt I am working on is coming along.  It's a customer quilt so better not take a picture and post it without permission. 

And it's been crummy weather all day today.  Pooey!

All Aboard the Allergy Train and a good weigh-in for me!

Our chocolate lab, Jake seems to be having some allergy issues.  We were at the vet last week and got a special "calming" shampoo.  He was just scratching and nibbling at his paws, etc, with no raw spots, but yesterday he had a raw spot, about the size of a quarter.  Nothing has seemed to help keep him from licking it, except for an E collar.  The spot is on his backside.  But I'm thinking he might need a shot.

On a good note, I have now lost 13 pounds in exactly one month.  I reached a milestone today by breaking another 10 # increment, won't say which one, but it's all good. 

No quilting today

I had good intentions of getting my workout in and then quilting, but that isn't happening.  I did get in water aerobics and yoga.  After lunch I'd planned to get some quilting in, but the weather turned dark and dreary, and there are rumblings of thunder off in the distance.  I never run my longarm machine in a thunderstorm, so I thought maybe it wasn't meant to be today.

Now a nap, that may be in the plans!

Monday Monday

I am old enough to remember the Mamma's and the Papa's, for some reason that song is in my head today.  Up early out the door, already did 3 miles on the treadmill.  Doesn't sound like much but I keep my target heart rate in the proper range for my age, and that gave me 3 miles.

Today I'm working on a customer quilt and doing the dreaded laundry.  If I can stay cool during the triple digits expected today, I will be happy.

Maples Leaves is now a flimsy

After working for quite some time yesterday and a bit today I have finished the top.  I'm working on piecing the backing fabric, but it won't get quilted for a few days, as I have customer committments. 

It is so hot here that I feel like I'm in slow motion.  The forecast calls for hot weather over the next few days, so I guess there is no point in complaining.  I know one thing though, I'm not cooking a heavy meal tonight for dinner!