R U kidding me?

Literally just took this out of the package and decided to start it. take a few stitches and BAM, blood on a brand-new white potential table runner. Ugh. Could not figure out where it came from, but whatever. I am so annoyed with myself.

I bought this table runner from Annie’s. It just has some red and blue embroidery and I thought I could do something quilty around it. I don’t have anything red, white and blue for my table. Hoping I can get the blood out. It is not the first time I have bled on a project, but it is so white and not easily covered up (silently screaming).

I have quite a few table runners laying around…. Last year when I had my Neck surgery, I felt like I could not work on large projects, so I made a bunch of table runners. Now I have to get them quilted. I made a couple that are a bit southwest. If nothing else, they will make become Christmas gifts. I have at least 5 or 6 more. I like to quilt lines on these table runners because lines are easy and quick.

Happy Sewing

Happy Quilting

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Ohhh Happy Day…and the Hand Quilt Along

I got annoyed with the scales on the fish on my last block and had to set it down.  The Octopus was much more fun anyway.  This is part of the someday under the sea quilt I have planned…..in my head…..

Please visit all the lovely ladies of the Hand Quilt along and see what they have been up to.  They never disappoint.

KathyLoriMargaretKerryEmmaTracyDebConnieSusan,  Nanette,  EdithSharonKarrin, and Gretchen

So, why happy day?…well, I got a job.  It has been 5 long months of me feeling sorry for myself, which does you help you get a job.  And…I got a job I wanted.

You would have thought that I would have spent 5 months off sewing up a storm, but I did not.  I did sew, but I did not get much accomplished, and I mostly ignored my blog.  Now I look back and feel stupid.  Kevin (AKA man friend),  never wavered.  He said I he always knew I would get another job.  He only wanted me to have one I liked, not one I took to pay the bills, like last time, and then I was miserable.  It is a good distance from home, but that is OK.

I am up to a 25 lb. weight loss, but am currently celebrating, so I don’t plan on losing anything this week.  Hopefully the weight loss plan will get back in swing with the new job.  Having a routine will make it easier for me.

It is birthday week at our house.  My oldest daughter had her birthday this past Thursday and my youngest (and my late husband Derrick) is on Tuesday.  We had a lovely birthday dinner , champagne chicken and red velvet cake.

I hope I am on my way back to myself.

Happy Sewing

Happy Quilting

Treasure your Family

Hand Quilt Along

So, I have some hand quilting progress.  It is a great way to keep my hands busy and the mind sometimes.  Quilting and sewing are my therapy.  They are  helping me deal with the loss of my sister.  It gives me something else to think about.  This fish may be my favorite so far.  Although, the farting seahorse is a close second.  It was my dear sister Kellie who dubbed it the farting seahorse.  I may end up naming this quilt, the farting seahorse quilt, just for her.

Please visit all these wonderful women and see what they have been up to.

KathyKerryEmmaTracyDebConnieSusan,  NanetteSassy , EdithSharonKarrin, and Gretchen

Kellie

You can tell Kellie had a sense of humor, I mean, really a farting seahorse?  Leave it tohHer.  I searched high and low for a picture from my wedding, but could not find it.  It would have made this story so very appropriate.

When I married my first husband, Jerry, all my sisters were in my wedding along with

20180917_133732
Kellie and Mom

my long time friend Kim. I chose a sensible dress that could be ordered from J.C. Penny.  It was Jade in color.  I will never forget waiting at the church and in walks my older sister, Karen.  Kellie immediately broke out into song (Sesame Street).  “One of these things is not like the other one, not like the other one, not like the other one.”  Karen’s dress was a different dye lot.  It was much darker than everyone elses.  She was very upset.  I was just laughing.  Kellie proceeded to sing under her breath at the altar.  I miss her sense of humor.  I want to talk to her.

The other night for the first time in my life, I saw a shooting star.  I wished for a dream about Kellie where I could talk to her.  I am still waiting.

Happy Sewing

Happy Quilting

Love the ones you are with.

Hand Quilt Along Progress

Another block for my under the sea quilt  I am getting a reasonable amount of them.  Before I know it I will have enough.  Hopefully, that will happen before I get bored with making these blocks.  Hard to tell with me.  I do tend to go from one thing to another.  Please visit all these wonderful ladies and look waht they have been making:

I have also managed to finish the quilting on the firefly quit.  I am currently working on the binding.  Kev’s (man friend) sister is pregnant, so I have designed a baby quilt for her.  I am nearly finished with that top.  Simple, bit away to showcase some cute fabric

Sister Update:

The news is devastating.  She now requires surgery as her bowels have quilt working. winter kellie She can not have the surgery because she would not survive it.  The outlook is bad.  Her husband texted me yesterday and told me to expect to need to come up later this week or next.  My heart is breaking.

This is my beautiful sister Kellie.  I call this winter Kellie because she is all snugged up in her winter coat.  She is  so beautiful.

I love you Kel.

I know you know that.

Happy Sewing

Happy Quilting

Treasure your family

 

It’s a Miracle I have something for the HQAL

I finally have something for the Hand Quilt Along.  It is a miracle.  Only took me about six weeks.  This is another block for my under the sea quilt. Football season is coming, so I will likely have more as I spend more time watching TV.  I am not a big TV watcher, but here in Central Ohio, we do love Ohio State Football.  And, I grew up in the suburbs of Cleveland, so I do love the browns even though they have been awful lately.

Sister update:  Ups and downs.  Good one day, not so good the next.  It is a crazy roller coaster.  I did talk with her today and that always makes me feel better, even when she does not sound like herself.  Thanks to everyone for their kind words.

Please make sure that you visit all these wonderful ladies and look at their beautiful hand work.

Kathy,  MargaretKerryEmmaTracyDebConnieSusan,  NanetteSassy , EdithSharon, and Karrin

Happy Sewing

Happy Quilting

Fainéant, yes I am..My Hand Quilt Along and One Monthly Goal

Fainéant, means slacker in French.  Yes, I am one.  I totally meant to do my Hand Quilt Along post before and schedule it, but no, that did not happen.  It has just been an insane week at my house.  Kids and sports, spent the weekend with my sister, just non stop.  So I apologize to all my fellow hand quilters for being a Fainéant.  I felt I used the word Slacker to much, so I figured I needed a new term.  I am adding one more block to my underWaterMark_2018-06-03-20-09-20 the sea collection.  This month we have a whale.  I do have to tell you, my last months post brought some criticism form some Facebook followers (my sister mostly).  She insisted that my seahorses were farting.  I tried to explain that it was meant to be swirls of water, but no, according to her it was pretty clear.  Farting Seahorses.  Now I WaterMark_2018-06-16-21-26-44look at my seahorses in a little different light.  Darn it.

Please visit all the lovely ladies in the hand quilt along that are not Fainéants.

KathyMargaretKerryEmmaTracyDebConnieSusan,  NanetteSassy , EdithSharon and Bella.

 

So, for June my One Monthly goal was to complete the Star Wars  Quilt Top.  Mission Accomplished.  It needs some ironing, it kind looks all rumpled.  I think this will be a donation quilt.

Happy Sewing

Happy Quilting

 

 

 

Hand Quilt Along and more side sewing

So, because I get easily bored, I have sort of moved on to another hand project.   I actually finished this piece in just one evening.  I have plans to incorporate this into an under the sea quilt. I think (will have to look) that I have the fabric for this quilt.  I will have to hunt for it.  To see more fabulous hand work, please visit the ladies below:

KathyMargaretKerryEmmaTracyDebConnieSusan,  NanetteSassy , EdithSharon and Bella.

I also made these key chains.  My guild attends a festival in late summer that is a bigWaterMark_2018-06-03-20-04-20 fund-raiser for us.  They sell items that the guild members make and donate.  Being in central Ohio, I thought these key chains might be something that could sell.

Happy Sewing
Happy Quilting

Oma’s Treasure finished for my One Monthly Goal

I actually really like this piece.  I had lots of advice from people on what to do and I thank all of you for your help.  I so very often finish pieces and am unimpressed.  This is already hanging in my dining room by all the other beautiful thinks that once belonged to Oma, Mom and now me.

Despite the fact that my Oma could not speak English, she always knew what to send me that would make me happy.  Something to make or do.  I believe the center embroidered piece is around 40 years old.  Surprisingly, I did not do such a bad job as a kid.

The embroidered piece is made from linen, so I did add some interfacing to the back to20170806_131034_resized add a bit of stability.  I also sewed glass beads in the centers of some flowers to keep the batting from shifting.  I went totally outside my box and did quilting outside my comfort zone and I am totally happy with it.  How crazy is that?  So, now, when I sit down to dinner, I can imagine Oma smiling down at me.  Getting sentimental, I should stop now.

Happy Sewing

Happy Quilting

Join One Monthly Goal, great way to get things done

I wish you a Merry Quilt Along and One Monthly Goal for August

I Have decided to participate in the I wish you a Merry Quilt Along.  One block every two weeks.  I think I can manage that.  So far so good.  I have quite a collection of snowflake fabric, and I finally have a purpose for it.  It will be interesting to see what the next block will look like.  It wasn’t hard.  Took me about an hour total and this included hunting for the snowflake fabrics in my boxes of fabric.

I also have my one Monthly Goal project.  I am going to completely finish Oma’s 20170731_194705_resizedtreasure.  As you can see from the photo, I have already partially taken some of this apart.  When I posted my original picture I got a lot of good advice on what to do.  Now I just need to do it.  So, yes, I will sew on the beads, quilt and bind this for My One Monthly Goal for August.  This is of course after I fix what I started tearing out.

Happy Sewing

Happy Quilting

Oma’s Treasures –Well, it certainly is bright.

Trying to decide if it is too obnoxious or loud.  My goal was not to take away from the embroidery.  I am not sure that I did that here.  I don’t mind the happy colors, but when you look at it’s like a slap in the face of color. I still have a couple things in mind to do.  One more one inch green around the outside, I think.  I plan to quilt the outside, but I am not sure how yet.  For where the embroidery is, since it is a such a long piece, I think I will sew tiny glass beads in the centers of some of the flowers to ensure the batting does not shift.  Of course, my binding is a bit crazy.  I have a striped piece of fabric (green/orange/pick/yellow) to add to the craziness of this piece.  Feel free to give me your opinion on my color choices and any suggestions on quilting (kinda stumped with that).  You will not offend me if you think it is awful.  I asked for it. LOL.

On a positive note, some good news, my older daughter, who was in a horrific head on collision nearly a year ago, has moved out.  I would say she is 90% of her old self, which is pretty good considering what I saw the first night in the ICU.  While it was a challenging six months after the accident. The outcome was far better than I anticipated.

Happy Sewing

Happy Quilting