On the Road .....

I've completed my to do list for today. We leave early in the morning for Louisiana to visit my MIL for a couple of days then visit my Dad for a day or two. Both of our parents are in assisted living facilities so we having to do the hotel and restaurant bit for the entire trip. In fact the only hotel in Central Louisiana where my MIL is living is in a  Casino. It's weird having to walk through the area with the slot machines to get to the hotel lobby. Since it is Louisiana, we are guaranteed to have great food the entire trip. We are hoping to have a good visit, but both our parents are having some "ageing" issues. I have binding to sew, stitchery prepared, books, magazines, and books on my Ipod for the LONG drive. It's an 11 or 12 hour drive from Atlanta.

I didn't get much sewing done this week, but I had lots of quilt ystimulation. I visited Sweet Home Quilt shop with my friend Brenda on Monday. Tuesday, I was able to attend the Gwinnett  Guild meeting (since I'm home for the Summer)  Visited with many wonderful friends. Thursday, I shopped at Intown Quilters with a friend looking for fabric for her daughtter's T-shirt quilt.  I just looked. I actually didn't purchase anything.

I did finish two projects last weekend. I completed the quilt top of the neutral quilt for my SIL for Christmas. I have to piece the back, then it's ready for quilting. I just love this quilt. It will look even better quilted.

I pulled an old UFO out of a bin. I worked on my Good to Go bag last Friday at Sisters. It's string pieced. I used Chelsea Lane fabric by Pat Sloan. I just love the autumn colors in this bag. The bag is a design by my friend Pat of  Silver Thimble Quilt Company.       I even used it a couple of times this week. That's another project off my extensive UFO list. DONE!

I'll have limited internet access until we return home next Wednesday. Have a great weekend! 

And The Winner Is.....

Sorry about the delay in my birthday give-away drawing. It's just been "crazy" busy here. In addition to a hectic schedule, we've had some computer issues. 

I put everyone's entries on a slip of paper. Put the

 paper in a bowl. I attempted to have Rusy, our Dachshund, do the honors, but he was more interested in the "

treat" I hid in the bowl. Finally, my son did the honors. Sue R. from North Winds Quilting in Maine is the winner. Sue, please send me your address. I'll get the package in the mail.

Thanks to everyone who helped me celebrate my birthday! I loved visiting your blogs. I loved seeing which quilting book/magazine/quilters that you chose for your favorite.

Happy Quilting!

Sharing Favorite Quilt Books

It has been great fun reading the comments and checking blogs to discover the favorite quilting books of blogging friends. 

Pat at the blog Bell Creek Quilts e-mailed me to see if it was ok to post favorite quilt patterns. This drawing is  all about sharing our love of quilting so I said sure. Pat posted pictures of several quilts she had made from Bonnie Hunter's Quiltville website and Mary Johnson's Mary Quilts website. Pat's post is a great tribute to these two incredibly generous quilters. I have "religiously" followed their blogs for a number of years. Bonnie's blog is Quiltville's Quips & Snips . Mary's blog is Making Scrap Quilts from Stash. Great blogs! Great quilts.

Maggie's favortie book is Garden Party by Cynthis Tomazewaki. It is one for applique lovers especially lovers of flowers.

Sue R. at North Winds Quilting (also owned by a dachshund) chose Jinny Beyer's Color Confidence for Quilters as her favorite. She has a picture of a fabulous quilt she made from the book.

Julia shared the same title as Lori in South Dakota. Her favorite is Big Book of Best-Loved Quilt Patterns.

Margo at Heart in His Hand Quilting  selected Freddie Moran and Gwen Marston's book Collaborative Quilting as her favorite. Her quilt Colorful Waves is from this book.

Sewinsharon's favorite is Charm Quilts With Style by Bobbie Aug and Sharon Newman.

Mary at My Needle and Thread by Mary posted a fabulous snowman quilt Sampling of Snowmen from her favorite book Winter Whimsies by Suellen Wassem. 

Laura at Pine Ridge Quilter  chose Liberated String Quilts (one I actually own) by Gwen Marston. Her quilt from that book is awesome.

Quiltma has two favorites, I Can't Believe I'm Quilting and Quick Quilt Tricks by Billie Lauder.

Brenda, ( who helped me spend some of my birthday $$$$ this morning at Sweet Home),   "The Quilting Cowgirl" listed two favorite quilt books. Stack A New Deal by Karla Alexander and Creative Quilt Collection Volume 1 from That Patchwork Place. Brenda's quilt from Stack A New Deal was a fantastic gift.

I have started a list of all these titles. I have several to search for and possibly add to my quilting library. Thanks ladies for helping me celebrate my birthday. It's been a great two days actually. Hate to limit the celebrating to just one day:)

There is still time to get your name included in the drawing. We will pull the winning name sometime later tomorrow. I did pick up a new charm pack from Sweet Home this morning. I love anything and everything by Three Sisters. This one is Shangri-La. I'm having trouble parting with it.

Quilting Books

I'm discovering quilt books that are new to me, but are favorites of blogging friends. I've started a list of these titles.  I will have to look for them on  my next visit to the book or quilt store.

  Lori  in South Dakota posted two of her favorite quilts books. Two Color Quilts (a Better Homes and Garden Book) and Big Book of Best-Loved Quilt Patterns are her two favorites for inspiration.

Sweet P. at Coffee Time Quilt Studio chose a magazine as her favorite book for inspiration. The Stitchery issue of Australian Country Threads is her favorite.  She begins a new project within days of receiving an issue. 

There is still lots of time to enter the give-away. Post your favorite quilting book/magazine on your blog. If you've made a project from the book, post a picture to have an extra entry in the drawing. Post a comment in the comments section of my blog to complete the process.

After I posted the guidelines for the birthday give-away, I couldn't think of a quilt that I had finished from a book. I have several projects in plastic boxes with the book, fabric, notes etc.  ready for me to begin. I wasn't sure I had one that I had finished.  After several hours, I remembered that I had indeed completed two quilts from different books. The first one is from Blended Quilts by Marsha McCloskey. It is the first quilt that I ever completed. It is in Gingham Rose fabric by Moda. I just love that quilt. It is actually on the end of our bed right now.

The second quilt from a book (that I finished) is called Three Bean Salad. This quilt was made for my SIL Shelly. It is from the book Wild About Flowers by Leisure Arts Studio.

A Birthday Give-Away!

Jackie from the blog Canton Village Quilt Works is celebrating her birthday next Monday, June 23rd. (Happy Birthday, Jackie!) She has a fabulous give-away in honor of her birthday. Visit her blog to find out how to enter to win!

Jackie's birthday give-away hit a chord with me. Next Monday, June 23rd is my birthday, too. I love the idea of doing a birthday give-away. I was waiting until my 100th post to do a give-awy, but I've still a bit of time to go as this is only post number 60. With Jackie's approval (I e-mailed her), I also will celebrate with a birthday give-away. My give-away is not as BIG as her give-away. I have several "quilty" items that I would love to share with a lucky blog reader. I'll gather them up and post a picture later this week.

 To enter the drawing:

• Post a picture of a quilting book that you like on your blog. Give us the author and title.
•  If you have made a quilt from the book, posting a picture of your  quilt will give you a second entry for the drawing. 
• Leave me a note in the comments section that you have posted a quilting book and/or picture of your quilt on your blogg
• If you don't have a blog, please just leave the title, author, etc. in the comments section of my blog for a chance to win.

I'm a "book lady" or librarian. I love books. I love quilting books. It will be fun to see the different titles that are shared.

One of my favorite quilting books is Quilt-Lovers' Favorites Volume 6 by American Patchwork & Quilting Magazine. I have not yet made a quilt from this book. I plan on making the quilt Diamonds Are Forever by Sandy Gervais on page 45 in black and white fabrics. I have all the fabrics collected and the book. It is on my list of projects. :) Maybe soo.....

A Favorite Container

Perhaps, my favorite sewing room container is this hand-made basket. It was made in 1990 by my friend Lita. I keep it at my sewing room door. I use it to hold items that need to be brought downstairs on my next trip out of the sewing room like this great bag made by my friend Brenda. This floral bag hold stitchery supplies.

This Moda tin holds my Featherweight bobbins. It was purchased by friends Debbie and Gretchen on one of our Atlanta shop hops. I drove my van. They payed for gas in fabric and this super tin. I love Moda fabrics! I love these Moda tins.

Another Sewing Container

This great sewing tin was found at a local antique shop. I just love how it looks. Before I began quilting, I sewed lots of garments. I used lots of Simplicity patterns. Inside the tin, I store some of my buttons. Most of these were from my mother's sewing box. She cut buttons off of any item of clothing before it became  a rag. 

What I'm Working On

I've had some time to sew in the past couple of days. Today, my son had a couple of friends over for their band to practice in our basement. I was rather surprised to hear some pretty good music and not just noise coming from downstairs.  I worked on the neutral quilt for my SIL for her Christmas gift.  When I was cutting out the blocks, I was amazed at the great selection of neutral fabrics that  I had in the project box. I know that I'm the one who bought the fabric, but for the life of me, I dont' remember some of these prints or where I purchased them. I do really like them. I hope I can find some other interesting neutrals. I'm planning on doing another neutral quilt. It's a log cabin quilt in neutrals called White Chocolate designed by my quilting teacher and mentor Pat Wys. 

Here is the neutral star quilt that I worked on today. It's from a pattern in McCall's Quilting Magazine. I don't remember the name, but my friend Brenda at The Quilting Cowgirl made one so I just refer to it as the neutral quilt that Brenda made. Lame, but I'd have to go upstairs to check the pattern name:)  I still have to sew the rows togther, then add two borders. I'm liking how this one is coming together.

Happy Quilting!

Container Contest

Sweet P. at Coffee Time Quilt Studio (love her blog title) is close to posting her 300 entry. She is having a contest. To enter the contest, bloggers have to post a picture of unique storage containers in their sewing areas. 

This Moda tin holds a wool table runner project in my sewing room.  I was fortunate to win it at my local quilt shop as a door prize during one of their anniversary sales. I love Moda Fabric. This tin is a great size and a sewing item that I treasure.  Thanks Sweet P for an interesting contest! Check out her blog to see pictures of her containers and links to blogs with inspiring containers

Geaux Tigers! Omaha, here we come!

I don't watch much television. In an all-male house, it's easier to abdicate and let them have the TV. Sunday evening, I joined my husband in the family room. I had binding to sew. He always has one or two TV's on. I didn't even know that  the LSU baseball team was on ESPN. It was a fabulous game.They had a disastrous fourth or fifth inning, but came from behind in the 9th to win the game. Well, last night I grabbed my quilt and was ready to watch the entire game. Living in Atlanta, it's a treat for us to see LSU sports on TV. Last night's game was an LSU fan's kind of night. The Tigers scored so many runs tht EPSN switched to another game. GEAUX TIGERS!  I'll have to check the game schedule for this weekend when the games start in Omaha. I'll  prepare the other quilts waiting for binding. I have a baseball game or two to watch this weekend.

Sunday Stash Report

I'm working towards my goal - to complete projects. I finished the backing for two quilts this week which used some yardage on hand.( 16 yards)  I brought both quilts to the quilt shop to be quilted yesterday. I finished the rag quilt for a graduation gift. The rag quilt used flannel that I had in my stash and additional flannel purchased for that project. (8 yards) In addition, I used batting scraps for the rag quilt. I sewed the binding for three quilts that are quilted, but do not have binding yet. (3 yards) Yesterday at my Saturday Sisters sewing session, I cut blocks for the neutral quilt. I can't remember the name right now. It's a pattern from McCall's Quilting magazine, June 2005. I'll include the yardage from that project when I complete the sewing on the quilt top.

Projects completed in 2008: Peace in the Valley, Giggles, Sunshine Paths, Floragraphix, Spinning Stars Mystery Quilt, LSU Tigers, Christmas Toile, Sarah's Rag

Projects Completed: 8 quilts 

Fabric Used this week: 27 yards   

Fabric Purchased this week: 1 yard

YTD:  Used: 72 yards

            Purchased: 56 yards

Now, I know my friends Karin and Gretchen are laughing at my totals. Ladies, I challenge you to post your totals!

Saturday Sisters

Tomorrow is my sewing group day!!!!  Our group is called Sisters or Saturday Sisters and it is organized through a local quilt shop. I'm getting excited about spending the day with my quilting friends. I've been trying to decide which project to take. We talk and laugh all day long so it can't be a project that I really need to be able to concentrate (like the border for Orange Crush). I've pulled two project boxes. One is a project that uses lots of neutral fabrics. It's a pattern from McCall's Quilting magazine. My friend Brenda at The Quilting Cowgirl made one that I loved.  I need to cut the blocks and begin sewing. I'm thinking of using it for a Christmas gift if I can part with it. It looks easy to construct. The other project is Bloomin' Rose again from McCall's Quilting Magazine. I have blocks from a swap on Pat Sloan's Yahoo Group several Summers ago. My blocks have a green background instead of yellow like in the picture.  I'll put them both in my van. I'll decide tomorrow which one to work on.

Wednesday was a Quiltaton Day on Judy L.'s blog Patchwork Times. I moved around my dog Rusty's annual visit to the vet so that I could sew most of the day. I was able to complete a flannel rag quilt for a graduation gift. I used the school colors of her future college, burgundy and gold. It will be hard to part with this quilt. I love the colors. The flannel is sooo soft. The best thing is that this is another project I can check off my list. It's another F.I.U. or Finish it up. It is Done!

And this is fun?

Yesterday was one of those days. For a short period of time, I began to wonder why had I ever begun to quilt. Piecing quilt backs is what did it. Remind me to over-estimate when I need to purchase a quilt back and to Avoid directional fabric.

 The first problem child was the backing for the LSU quilt. I found a great tiger print online. Of course, I ordered it several years ago when I started piecing the top.  I ordered only the amount needed for the back. Yesterday, I decided to use some of the tiger print for my binding. It will make great binding for this top. Of course, now I don't have enough fabric for the back. I pulled some purple from my stash and some of the left-over LSU print. Well, the LSU print is directional. There's where my problem began. I kept sketching the dimensions, playing with my yardage. Finally, I put the quilt on the top of my bed, pieced some backing and just kept adding until I had a big enough back. In spite of all my turmoil, it does look rather nice. I like it! Of course, this took lots longer than I had planned. 

I moved on to the Christmas toile. Several years back, I purchased some flannel when a shop was going out of business.  Of course, this quilt is HUGE, I didn't have enough for the backing. On one of our shop hops, I purchased  some yardage to coordinate with the first piece for the backing. Since both fabrics were flannel and the top is cotton, I washed the flannel fabrics. DUH! They shrunk  lots. Now I don' t have enough fabric. I again sketched the dimensions, put fabric on the floor. Somehow or another it finally lots like it will work. What really worries me, is I had some fabric left-over :) YIKES!  I think I'll bring it with me when I bring the quilts to the long-arm quilter on Saturday.  

At this point, I decided to go to bed and read. LOL!

Stash Busting Report

Finally! I had two quilt tops that just needed borders. Borders are not my favorite thing to do.  Today, I unexpectedly had all day  to sew. I had planned to begin sewing  a rag quilt for a gift due  in late June. I decided to work on the quilts needing borders instead. My stash busting goal this year is to finish at least 12 UFO's.  I was feeling a bit behind on my goal since I had not finished a top in May. Christmas Toile is a big quilt. It needed to be pressed, then borders added. It is DONE!  

My husband requested an LSU (Louisiana State University) quilt. He is passionate about his LSU tigers. I started this top two or three years ago. It was the only LSU fabric that I could find. It's so "boxy".  I didn't like the way top looked. The border fabric that I planned to use looked all wrong. I packed it away. Finally, last fall I took it out again and shopped for border fabrics for the third time. These two fabrics make the quilt. The inner border is a textured black tone-on-tone. The outer border is purple with black squiggly lines. These fabrics look like they belong with this quilt. Thanks, Gretch and Karin for helping me find "the right" fabric. The backings fabric is tiger stripes. It's perfect for this quilt.  DONE!

I still have to piece the backing for both tops. It was on my list for today, but I'm out of time. Maybe, tomorrow....

That makes two UFO's out of plastic containers. Two projects to check off my list of tops to finish. That makes 7 tops finished this year! That's a record for me! Of course, there are still lots and lots of UFO's still needing some TLC.  :}}}

Freaky Friday

My favorite quilt shop, Sweet Home in Conyers, Georgia (about 20 miles from my home) had a Freaky Friday sale. Freaky Friday is the fifth Friday in the month which only occurs a couple of times a year. Melisa, the shop owner, put all the fabric in her fabulous sale room on sale for $3.00 a yard. Her sale room is the best around in selection and price. This sale was one not to be missed. My Friday was pretty booked so I was glad that she extended the sale to Saturday. I made plans with Kristie, who is a quilter and media specialist in my school district to meet at the shop. It was a surprise to discover my quilting buddy Gretchen of Stella Bella Quilts at the shop. She had previously turned me down on a trip to Sweet Home because of her efforts to save for vacation.(see her post entitled Busted!!!)  I should have known that neither of us can resist a sale at Sweet Home. 

I can't remember the last time that I purchased 12 yards at one time. Looking back, I rather wish that I had bought more at this price. Three dollars a yard of luscious Moda, Michael Miller, P & B etc.  just doesn't happen often. 

Most of my purchases were for actual projects I'm planning. I even purchased everything on the bolt of  two different fabrics. That's not my buying style, but it was rather fun. The green and white fabric with moons,  I'm thinking of using as a backing for my Orange Crush quilt. Two or three look like possibilities for my patriotic quilt. The top fabric with the teal circles on olive green just spoke to me. I'm clueless what I'll do with that one. Any ideas?