Seventh Quilt

These quilt blocks have been a blast to make. This was a virtual surprise orange challenge with Pat Sloan. We did not know how much material we needed for the quilt squares until the pattern was posted on Friday the 20th of February. I have a total of 8 blocks completed so far but I will be making at least 1 more. Below is the finished quilt top ready to be sandwiched and machine quilted.

Finally went to Emerald Garden June 24th 2011 to use their long arm to machine quilt this quilt. I sandwiched it with Warm and White 100% cotton batting and used Kint Tut variegated orange thread on the top and bottom. I did an all over pantograph and really like it. I was very intimidated when I quilted this quilt because it had been a long time since I was there using their long arm. In a few areas the quilt was not rolled up enough and the panto rows are on top of one another but it is not bad. I hope to enter this quilt in the next NPC Fair 2011.

My Sixth Quilt

I took this class with a friend of mine. The pattern is Hip to be Square and the fabric is Williams Inn by Benartex. This quilt has been interesting to make as a beginner quilter... Some of the blocks are solid blocks but some of them are 4, 5 and 8 pieces of material that are sewn back together. The smallest pieces being 1 1/2 inches square. This picture does not do the quilt justice, the colors are washed out. I added another picture that I took outside and the colors are more true. This quilt top is not finished. It was a challenge to place all the blocks strategically so I did not have two with the same fabric next to one another. After I get all the squares or blocks placed then I sew them in rows. This will be the first sofa throw that I am making for myself. I take that back it is the first quilt top that I make for myself... I made the Return to Romance for myself and it is finished already. This one is not finished because I got so excited about finishing the other one to enter in the fair. I already had a quilt back for the Return to Romance and I have not decided on a quilt back for this one yet. I will probably piece scraps together for the quilt back but I am not sure. My cat General Lee joined me while I was taking pictures of my quilts. The fall season is among us and the burning bush by the mail box has changed color already. The final picture here has two borders added.

I finally went to Emerald Garden July 7th 2011 to get this quilt machine quilted. I used an all over rose pantograph and sandwiched it with Bamboo Batting from Jo-Anns. I used King Tut 100% cotton variegated thread. The top thread is variegated rosey pinks and the bottom is variegated greens. I love it! This was the 3rd quilt that I long armed this summer so far and I am so pleased with the long arming that I am in love!!! I finally spoke up and was vocal about the perfection in quilting this quilt and it turned out great. I will get this binding sewn on this week I hope.

My Fifth Quilt, specially made for my nephew Alex

This is the quilt top that I just finished. The fabric is Moda's Dinosaur Uproar. My sister and her husband got the dinosaur that Costco had just before Christmas for my nephew Alex. I suggested decorating his bedroom in dinosaurs and my sister liked that idea. I got the charm pack squares on ebay a couple of months ago and found a quilt store in Kooskia, Idaho that had more of the dinosaur uproar fabric last week.

The pattern I chose is one that uses the charm pack squares which are pre-cut by the manufacturer, 5 inch squares with one of each fabric in each fabric line. The squares that you see in this quilt were pre-cut, thank you to Moda fabrics! All I had to do was decide which squares I wanted where. I changed this quilt a little in that it is rectangle instead of square.

I do not have the measurements but this quilt will be bigger than crib size but smaller than twin size. I used Soft and Bright batting from The Warm Company.

I took a class and learned how to long arm quilt at Emerald Garden in lewiston. This quilt was the first quilt that I machine quilted. Machine quilted with my beginner rendition of dinosaur eggs! I entered this quilt in the NPC fair 2009 and received a third place ribbon on it for the machine quilting. It was chosen as a judges choice and hung with all the other judge choice quilts. I made and attatched a quilt label and gave it to them December 2009.

My Fourth Quilt

This is the second quilt kit that I bought in McCall, Idaho. Since this is a quilt kit I do not kow what fabric line it is from. I started the quilt top last night and finished it today. The pins that you see in it are quilting pins that hold the 3 layers together, the backing, the batting and the quilt top. I need to machine quilt it then add the binding.

This quilt has been fun to make because I used their pattern and combined my own ideas. The light colored border should have been applied in a totally different manner and I did not like it. Then because I did that different then the pattern I barely had enough burgundy border as well as not enough of the plaid green border. I almost went to get some new green plaid fabric but I spliced in some other plaids from the kit and that is where you see the darker green with brown. I think it gives this quilt character. I have not told him yet and I will probably just surprise him but I think this quilt will look great at my husbands office. I don't know whether to put it in his room or somewhere where everyone can see it. I believe that I used Warm and Natural batting. Entered this quilt into the 2009 NPC fair and received a first place ribbon for my work.

The third quilt

This quilt is one of two that was made from a kit that I bought in McCall, Idaho few years ago. I was a little intimidated by quilting because I did not understand the process. Now that I have taken a beginner quilt class I am hooked on quilting. Before I completely finished this quilt I layed out the fabric to the second quilt kit that I got in McCall because I was so excited to get them both quilted, I could not do just one at a time. This quilt is made much like my very first quilt that I did in the beginner quilt class. This one is called a doll quilt, measures 17x20, is quite small but was just as much fun to make. I hope it will look great on the wall in one of our upstares bathrooms. Since this is a quilt kit I do not know the fabric line. I believe I used Warm and Natural batting. I gave this quilt to my sister for her Birthday in 2009. Completed with quilt label and all. Entered this quilt in the 2009 NPC fair and received a first place ribbon.

This is really cool... This picture was posted by someone in my quilting yahoo group. This is what freezing fog will do to you in the bitter cold... I think he has nipples.

I thought this snowman was awesome and wanted to share. I do not take credit for being the photographer of this snowman. His home is in Rice, WA.

Cricut cartridge storage instructions

I know I don't have enough cartridges to even fill part of one of these containers but I personally am thinking in the future. My plan is to get atleast one if the snap 'n stack containers if not two. I did not see this on the message board the other day but here are the instructions for the snap 'n stack ribbon container lined with plastic canvas. http://www.cricut.com/messageboard/tm.aspx?m=3433071&mpage=1

Cricuts, Cricuts, Cricuts

I fell in love with how one of the ladies at Memries storage ideas for the Cricut cartridges, books and key pads. I came home and did a search for the container that she used and after much brain racking I did a search for cricut storage and came up with a you tube link... here is the link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmSb6MzWK0U While on you tube there are other scrappin videos that you man also enjoy.

The container that you will need for this idea is the Snapware 2-Layer Ribbon Dispenser http://www.snapware.com//product_buy.asp?dept%5Fid=3001 The only place locally that carried these was Joanns for Christmas but they are out of stock now. Who knows they may get them back in as they carry other Snapware products.

Here is the link to the Cricut message board where the ladies are discussing this Snapware storage for the cartridges, the message board sounds like fun... I am sure I could learn a lot from these ladies on the board. http://www.cricut.com/messageboard/tm.aspx?m=1993421

I have the Snapware Craft Medium Rectangle - 3 Layers for my quilting supplies and I absolutely love it. When I go to a class or quilt outside my home I have everything I need in one little stacker.

I have not had the best luck with these guys but their cartridges are only 29.99 www.customcrops.com

Feel free to pass this along to anyone who might not read my blog,

Fellow Cricuteer

My Father's Cat

I went to my father and grandparents graves yesterday and dads name is finally spelled correctly. I am sure it got corrected right after my last phone call to complain about it being misspelled. I have a planter that I need to get fixed at their grave. I'm sure that I will need bolt cutters to cut the current bolts off to put new ones on. When my father was alive he made this cool thing-a-magig that holds flower pots to decorate my grandparents graves. The plastic flower pots finally gave away and cracked at the bolt. It is still intact at the other 3 bolts though.

The picture here is my fathers homeless cat probably within a week of my father's death 12/26/07... he was scared to death having all these strange people coming in and out of his home... his name is Lee like the General Lee aka Cat and I call him Kid... Well let me correct myself he is not homeless, he is at my fathers empty and unsold house. He is inside where it is warm but he is there alone... My brother tried taking him to his house where he has a female with 2 kittens, the 2 of cats did not get along. My sister cannot have him since she has 2 dogs and a toddler. I love cats and I would bring him here but my husband is allergic to cats. I think I might try bringing him here since he is used to being a indoor/outdoor cat. I would need to put a cat door in the garage for him to enter when it is cold out. I don't know if he could be trained to stay around here even though I could not let him inside the house. We have skunks and other wild life so I wonder if he would survive here. He is street smart so I think so.

He is a nice cat, I went to the house the other day and took a nap with him. He layed about a foot away from me and purred happily the whole time until my cell phone rang. My heart tell me to bring him here to my house but it is too cold to be introducing him to my home, yard and garage this time of year. I don't know what to do but I am not willing to give up on him.

My Shih Tzu boys

I know what you are thinking; get your mind out of the gutter, they are both male... I finally uploaded some pictures to my computer and wanted to share this picture with all of you. Mister has ahold of the back of Chewbaccas head and keeps planting his face in the snow. I just wish I had this on video. These are my babies...

The second quilt that I have made

This is the second quilt I have ever made, this one I did on my own cutting the fabric, laying it out, sewing, ripping yes I said ripping out threads, sewing some more and having a blast machine quilting. The fabrics were picked out by me and purchased at Emerald Garden in Lewiston, Idaho. The fabrics are from different fabric lines, so I do not think I will be listing them here. I machine quilted this on my domestic sewing machine. I stitched around the cardinals and the pine needles. It is completed as of today and given to the rightful owner who deserves it. I believe I used Warm and Natural batting. I entered this quilt into the NPC fair in 2009 where I received a first place ribbon for my efforts.

The first quilt I have made

This is the first quilt I made. I took a class the week of Thanksgiving 2008 and learned how to quilt. This is a rail fence pattern and I used Star of Wonder fabric by Benartex. Used Warm and Natural batting and King Tut thread. I entered this into the NPC fair in 2009 and got an judged status on this quilt because it was entered into a category with another quilt just like it. :-(

Quilting

I have almost completed my second quilt.

The first one was completed in a quilt class at Beckys the week of Thanksgiving 2008. I was a nervous reck just trying to pick the fabric for my quilt. I ran all over town and ordered like crazy on ebay and got a stack of my favorite fabric then went to Beckys for approval that what I had picked was o.k. for this quilt. My fabric choices inspired atleast two people that I know to do the same quilt with similar color of fabrics. I chose burgundy and hunter green with gold. The fabric is Star of Wonder by Benartex. It took forever but just prior to Christmas 2008 I hung my quilt on the wall between my living room and kitchen.

The second quilt is a pattern I found at Emerald Garden and the fabric I chose has cardinals with burgundy/red and greens with gold. I had the quilt top finished before Christmas 2008 but was scared about what to do next and procrastinated until today to do the machine quilting. Except for one small area on the quilt the machine quilting is done. I need to figure out how to machine quilt the center boarder, which I am struggling with. I don't want anything that will take away from the focus of the quilt which is cardinals.

I learned something new while machine quilting this cardinal quilt... I picked my quilt backing because it was beautiful burgundy/red and coordinated nicely with the whole quilt. But I had no idea what color of thread I was going to be using. The thread that worked out the best was white and offwhite/gold but on a burgundy quilt back. Next time I will pick a much lighter quilt back and thread that will tie in with the whole piece. The quilt back is burgundy with all these light colored machine quilting stitches all over it. I might have been able to use burgundy thread in my bobbin but then I would have had some of that thread show through where the knots are in the machine stitches. It is like looking at a beautiful piece of art and not knowing why the artist painted certain things where he/she did.

Philosophy here... Ya learn something new every day!

My new motto: Enjoy your own life without comparing it with that of another.― Marquis de Condorcet

I hope it was ok to steal the previous quote from a very dear friends blog?

Just in case ya didn't notice, it snowed again.

My Father

I miss my father so much. Never take for granted that your parents will always be there for you. My father died 12-26-07 at 74 years of age and left us 4 kids with a mess. We all went through dads house taking or rather splitting up his belongings except for the eldest who gutted the garage with no regard for the other 3 of us who might need things too. We split his buriel expenses which was only 470.00 for each of us kids and my 3 siblings still owe me money which got put on my credit card.

My fathers house is a pig stie, his cat is homeless, and the bills are adding up on my credit card. Dad still does not have a headstone, the temporary marker at his grave had the wrong spelling on it every time I went to visit. I called the business office at the graveyard in Clarkston twice to get his name spelled correctly, the first time they changed a few letters phonetically. The sad part is my father is burried with his parents and their last names are all the same. All they have to do is look at out my grandparents names are spelled to get the correct spelling. I have to admit I have not been to his grave in a while, I need to fix a planter and put new flowers out.

Nobody has done anything to try and help with anything at the house. We all just sit, waiting for the state of Washington to take the house or demand that it be sold so they can get reimbursed for part of the $296,000.00 that they are owed for my step mothers long term care in the nursing home. My brother was going to try to buy the house, but here we sit a year later and I guess he has lost interest. We need to sit and talk about what to do with the house. It sure as heck will not sell as is, without new carpet and an interior paint job.

It is a party or just a bunch of great friends hanging out

In between dinner, music and dancing and lots of great people we had a lot of fun. Our food and service at dinner was awesome. The music was catered to the elders in the world who had an opportunity to get dressed up in formals and dance. I am a people watcher so I was entertained for the most part. There was some dancing going on within the younger crowd too. Stories were told, games were played and some people went home with some extra baggage. Taking things that dont belong to you is a crime, well only if you get caught. Well anyway thanks to all who were involved, it was great fun. When do we want to do it again?

Happy New Year! I cannot believe it is 2009... Remember the year 2000 and all the panic in the world.

It is a scary thought that my son will be 25 this month... wow