Hello!

Nothing quilty today...I just had to share this photo of Uno (last year's best of show at Westminster) greeting another beagle named RJ. Is this not the most adorable??
Natch I'm biased. Our own Goober Beagle is just as adorable.....ahhhhh....Beagle love!

Some Blocks in (Eternal) Progress

Well, the camera has returned: overhauled, checked out, re-calibrated, re-formatted "re- everything-ed" ...or so they say.
At least it is taking photographs again, but is the loudest (whirring) camera I've ever owned.
I really don't think that (as much as I still love its picture taking abilities) it will last as long as I would like. Guess I should take a ton of photos before it gives up the ghost permanently. So much for blind faith! Maybe I should start researching my next camera now...live and learn.
Anyway, taking pictures is just what I decided to do. Today was one of those "go-me" kind of days. First, I got a new cell phone for free-- yes free! Glad I waited a couple of weeks to go back to Verizon to get a deal- the first look was going to cost me a mere $4.98 after rebate, but my salesman extraordinaire went one click of the computer further and got me a totally free package. And better yet...I got a sleek, slim, well put together basic phone. No big text pad, no "hidden" text pad , no anything I was never going to use! After my rant about not needing the extra blue tooth (for $60) and my need not to be connected to the world 24/7, I got my lovely (free, remember, FREE!) phone and skipped my way to staples where I spent that $50 on a SanDisk card reader! At checkout the reader cost a whopping $43, so I figure I'm $7.00 ahead of the game today. Nice work don't you think?
Since I was able to hook up the reader with out any trouble, I decided to show you my "eternal blocks"! This is why I need a big design wall (next to the small design area above the cutting table). I'm forever getting myself into projects and not finding time to actually finish any...but I've set some priorities so here you go:


Above are my 2.5" churn dash blocks for the Chocolate and Cheddar quilt I'm in the process of making myself crazy with. Actually I do love it, and have proposed a "little quilts " club at the shop. this could be the first project we do if I get up and running with this proposal.
Next is more "chocolate and cheddar". To say this is one of my favorite combinations (thus the tons of scraps in browns and golds/cheddars) is an understatement. Almost as good as pink and brown! This second blocks has been left to sit on the small design wall way too long, and is from one of Bonnie Hunter's mysteries. Her first I think! Head on over to quiltville.com and I'm sure you'll find it! Bonnie is a gem, and I just love the way her quilts use scrap fabrics to their ultimate potential. This quilt will one day get finished. All those cut strips are hanging in plain site in my sewing room so I don't forget! Gee...should have snapped a photo of that too (LOL).

Now this next block is a sample block just to see if I'd like it. Guess what?? I do! Big surprise there,no?? Because of where it is pinned to the board, it is shadowed on the right hand side, but you can still get a good idea .....

I may decide that this is to become a project after all. I'm sure I have chunks of the fabric hidden away "just in case".

And last but not least- tah dah- here is my jump out of my box project! I have the wonderful ability to hop into my car, drive south for about an hour and end up at Woodstock Quilt Supply (goggle them!). Jim and Bob have an awesome shop in the heart of Woodstock,NY (yes, "that" Woodstock). Besides being adorable, they do have a way with quilts. The glimpse below is last year's block of the month program. Some quilting buds and I would get up with the chickens one Saturday a month, meet at a local park and ride and drive down together for a morning of shopping and complete hysteria. It was great fun, and I am embarrassingly behind in blocks. Such a slacker, am I....

So the whole premise behind this post was to see if

1. the camera worked (OK, it's loud but it does).

2. it was easy to use the card reader (it's idiot proof! I'm having a good day).
3. I could manage to get back to talking quilts

I think for the most part, I've succeeded!

Tomorrow- stay tuned. I'll shoot some photos of my little bird baby quilt!

Snow Snow and More Snow

Today is the kind of day I really miss having a camera. We are in the mist of yet another snow storm. The shop has declared a snow day- the roads are terrible, and the meeting I was to attend out in the woods (yes literally!) is postponed until Friday. None of the shop owners involved wanted to make the dangerous trek. Can't blame them.

We are supposedly in for another 10" by the time this storm ends later tonight.

I'm nursing the beginnings of a cold, so I am more than happy to stay home and be productive.

I've already baked my favorite coffee cake for our Quilter's Circle meeting tomorrow night, I've done the handouts for February's block of the month, and printed out the patterns for the little baby quilt I made. I'm drowning the germs in cranberry juice laced with seltzer and have decided to forget about the nap I thought I might take, and prepare some rabbits, vines and blossoms for machine applique. I'm achy but not all that tired. I have a movie to throw into the DVD player and I think in the end I can declare it a productive snow day indeed.

Darn it all...I really, really miss that camera. It is so pretty outside- just the kind of day I'd love to photograph. Hope the repairs go on schedule and I can get it back soon. For once I have lots to show, and no way to show it! Go figure.

Change Has Come and Some Marathon Sewing

I think I started watching TV even before the White House changed its web page to reflect our new administration! It was an amazing day on many levels, and I for one am glad it has arrived.

I love this next picture! Sasha, this is exactly how I was feeling yesterday! And btw...you look awesome!


There is much work to be done, but at least there is a feeling of hope. It won't be easy; there are no quick fixes, but where there is hope....

On other fronts, I did manage to do some fun sewing while the little sewing room TV got a work out. I am making (what I think is) an adorable little baby quilt. I found the pattern on the web and had to make it. The fabric companies have so much stuff on their websites- I could just download patterns for days. This one is for a work sample and is made of simple squares- I chose sweet baby pastels- and then has a branch (a funkier brown and pink dot-like fabric) and a momma and baby bird (again funkier blues- one a large dot for momma, the other a swirly squiggle for baby). The top half and all the applique is done, today is the bottom so it is ready for quilting.
What? you ask...no photos??
Well, unfortunately you will have to wait to see my latest projects (except of course the swap blocks I am embarrassingly behind on) because my brand new, what I thought was so wonderful camera up and died on me Monday morning. I won't even hint at my reaction-- this is a family friendly site after all- but let me tell you it wasn't pretty!

I'll share photos as soon as I can- for some reason the quilting bug has hit hard and I am just sewing my heart out. I know there is one member of my family who will find that of great comfort! Seems first born prefers that I quilt rather than create "altered art"!
I'm quilting, first born, I'm quilting!

Spending time on my other blog

I've done so little quilting of late- as you can tell from my lack of posting. But the quilt muse is finding her way back! If you're interested in what I've been doing in the meantime...do visit my other blog- you can get there from my profile.
I had the pleasure of attending a lecture/trunk show by Mark Lipinski (Quilters Home Magazine) and let me tell you- if that man is anywhere in your vicinity- run, don't walk to go hear him. I laughed for 2 hours straight, much of that time with tears streaming down my face. He is hilarious and pretty much right on when it comes to his take on quilting. Made me take a second look...it all boils down to if you're not having fun, why do it??
I think I was becoming one of those quilters who was taking herself way too seriously. I think I need an attitude adjustment. Thanks Mark!

Oh Look!

Monica! This one's for you. Love this sewing table!! Way to go Kangaroo folks...now all the sewing machine has to do is say "Hello Kitty" and I know M would just be in seventh heaven!!

Kim Diehl

Kim Diehl,author and quilter extraordinaire (my humble opinion of course!) came to guild this month with her great sense of humor and a wonderful trunk show of quilts mostly from her first book Simple Blessings.



I have admired her quilts since the day I first saw this book, and to say that the beautiful photography doesn't do them justice is saying a lot. Getting to see them up close and to be able to examine the amazing quilting on them was the highlight of the evening. Kim love lots of quilting on her tops and highly quilted they are. They positively dance...I loved them all, and she had LOTS to show!!
The following day, Kim offered a workshop in her invisible machine applique method, and because I am a Kim groupie, I took a "continuing education" day off from work and spent the day eating crow! I will never make light of nylon thread again (granted, it has to be used correctly, but I'll definitely be kinder!). Kim uses the nylon in the top needle and cotton in the bobbin, and a very small zig zag stitch. Amazing results. There are adjustments to be made to tension and the pressure foot but once you get the "magic formula" for your machine there is just no going back. This said by a dyed-in-the-wool hand appliquer! I had a huge bias against nylon thread and was quick to voice it- so yes- I'll eat crow thank you very much. I am thrilled with my block and am in the process of preparing the pieces for the other 3 I need to complete the main part of our project- Country Whig Rose. I see more finished applique in my future. Now this doesn't mean that I'll abandon my handwork, but my To Do list is long, and I see a way to get many of these done now!! Yay...
photo(s) of my block(s) will be posted soon- I have to get my camera dock re-hooked to this laptop. I was also lucky enough to get the last fat quarter pack Kim brought for sale. Her fabric line for Henry Glass is called Country Haven and is just delicious!! I will incorporate bits of it in this project, but am saving most of it-I have to stretch it as far as it can go so it can end up in lots of projects in the future. My quilting mojo has definitely returned. Sure was a long time coming....