Something is missing.......

What is missing from this picture?

Yep...My Janome is being serviced, Not as we speak...I took it in yesterday (Friday) afternoon which means that it will be at least Monday before anyone looks at it..Tuesday before they call that it is ready, Wednesday before I can go get it, and Thursday before it can be back with all these and working again.  And that is best case scenario.

But: I have plans to keep myself busy, as described earlier in another post:

I am handquilting the border of the tool belt.  I am lazy, so am using painter's tape to keep my sewing lines approximately the same distance apart.  This roll is 2" wide. I just put it down, sew next to it and continue moving the same piece forward as I sew.  Works for me..

Then I plan to set up a sandwich of this quilt top. 

We bought this black block from Lowe's.  I'm not even sure what it is, I haven't asked DH. It might be something like a water or sewer grate.  At any rate, it is tall enough so that the needle in my basting gun won't hit bottom, and heavy enough not to move easily.  Also, now DH won't have to make me a grid like he was planning. The gun is still on probation...it is a cheaper version of another one I may buy, but want to see if it will really work or not with machine quilting..

This, plus some other tasks I have in mind, should keep me busy.

What's been happening......

There are times when you work really hard and know you are working, but there is nothing really you can show in pictures of how much you are getting done.  So here is a quick rundown on what I have been doing lately.....pictures and words.....

1) I have just been handquilting on this:

I have all the blocks done..just need to work on the borders now.

2) I have been trying to get back to my Valentine table runner..pictures you have seen in the last few posts.... and would like to make another one,,different pattern...similar fabric....

3)  I had a pile of giveaway items on my floor and needed to do some straightening up, so I took pictures, will be composing and scheduling posts, and will put them all in mailing packages, ready to be sealed up, addressed and mailed when the time comes.  Can't show you pictures yet..will spoil the anticipation.  Let's just say that I have at least one or two real good ones, depending on your point of view.. I will say to cat lovers and flower lovers:  be on the lookout in the next couple of months. 

4)  I have also just received this: 

I borrowed my neighbors' and basted my tool quilt with it...seems to hold up okay, so I ordered one..as soon as DH makes me a grid to place under my sandwiched quilts, I will try it out again.  Because of reasons that are unimportant, I would rather not use basting spray.

5) I have also been thinking seriously about machine quilting.  This would cause an even slower slowdown of quilts than I really want, but it might work out better in the long run, even if I only machine quilt baby quilts, or smaller quilts...

6) Also,,,,thanks to this: I have more quilts on my plate now...I will be shooting down my no-buy-unless-absolutely-necessary creed that I adopted about 27 days ago....didn't last long, did it.

I am going to start a 365 day quilt, + offered to help my DD, and two DDILs  with their 52 week/365 days quilts.  (they haven't decided what time frame yet). Have to kinda/sorta decide what layout the quilts will be now.  So those are ongoing projects that will get their start soon.  Hopefully I can do the quilt as you go method. Otherwise a year from now, you won't be hearing from me for at least a month!


7)  Sorta finished a draft for my Sew We Quilt (Stash Manicure) post scheduled for March (right now). 'Nuf said about that...it's way in the future..

8) And finally, next month, will be taking my Janome in for regular maintenance.  So will be machineless for a couple of days at least.  I think I can find things to do while she is gone.

Small Progress.....

...on my table runner...

I challenged myself on Amy's One Thing One Challenge to start this Valentine's Table Runner. I have decided to try and make scrappy hearts on the end because as I said in an earlier post, I do not have enough of the red left by itself.  We'll see how it turns out.

There are more giveaways!

Another giveaway - this time it's binding already made by Shelley, the Dread Pirate Rogers....

Here on Shelley's blog.  She has a lot of interesting stuff there, too.

Lila Tueller Designs - another giveaway

Lila Tueller is giving away oodles of goodies at her blog.  You have a week to join..check this one out!

The Traveling Giveaway - coming from Ariane's Crafts

Another giveaway has started.  Check out the traveling giveaway at Ariane's Crafts..neat story and neat stuff....

Stray Stitches giveaway - 400+ followers

Linda at Stray Stitches is having a 400+ followers giveaway. Lot of colors and flowers!

Dilemma - or Decisions, Decisions..

Nothing earthshattering.... I am making a table runner for Valentine's Day.  I have barely started..

It takes me awhile to absorb directions and chose fabric.  This time the fabric was easy...the directions were easy, once I understood them...

I have three colors, pink, red and white...

The pink fabric will be the border fabric.  No problem.  Red swirls on white..no problem.. White swirls on red...bingo!

My dilemma was that the fabric I wanted (red) I do not have enough of.  There is another section on each end composed of red diamonds on white and 2 small (red) hearts to go on the middle white fabric.. All that is cut and ready to go.  What I don't have is enough red to make (2) two-sided big valentines that will be attached to the ends once it is sandwiched and quilted.

At the time I was checking over the directions, I realized the lack of red so decided to use it (not white) in the middle and the white as the valentines.  Great idea!  Except...

when I cut, I accidently reverted back to the original wants...

Now,,, what to do...should I just forget the end valentines and just go with the red ones in the middle?

Or stay with my original idea of white valentines on the ends?

Or should I try and make scrappy white/red valentines on the end?  Or red on top and white underneath?

I'm not sure what the backing of this runner will be yet...

Nuts...I think I'll wait until tomorrow to decide, after we go visit my BIL & SIL and their winery... I'm sure I'll come up with a great solution by the time I get back.....

I just went to town for some milk and bread.....

.....and look what I came home with!

It even has a leaf to go in the middle! We had been looking for something like this for several months.  Our other set has been through 2 or 3 floods (ala lowlands of  Houston), 2 or 3 recoverings(chairs), and we were just plain tired of it.  A re-sale or antique/junk shop in our small town was going out of business and I bought this at lower than 1/2 price, without DH even being there! I brought 1/2 of it home (not enough room in the car) and took DH back so he could browse around also.  After finding some books (mainly for GC), he encouraged me to also buy this, again at a sale price:

Of course I did not have that in mind when I suggested he leave his "man-cave" in the barn and come with me...... Looks like the previous owners put a wall panel in the back of the top portion.  I plan to have DH take it off and have it open.  To give you an idea of the size, I am 5' tall and cannot see into the top drawers at all.

Oh, BTW, does anyone have a good recipe for a loaf of bread? Guess what I forgot!

another One Thing One Week challege from Amy

Amy is delivering her new challenge this month.  I am answering with this:

I hope to start turning this into a Valentine's Day table runner... I may not use all the different fabric.. the ladybug fabric may or may not be used...I have other plans for it...but most of it will be seen at the end.

Now, another challenge for me...to find the pattern I have stashed somewhere....that may take most of the week!

Mini Giveaway #2 - tablecloth- results

Congratulations to Jennifer over at hoodies and flip-flops! She has won this tablecloth and will be receiving it in the mail soon after I hear from her. Have fun deciding how to use it, Jennifer.

Watch for my next giveaway on Feb 1....

Odds and Ends Mini-Giveaway #2-tablecloth

Those of you who missed my original post on December 12, 2010 can read my "inspiration", "desperation", and/or reasoning behind my giveaways here. Edited version: I am continuing to clean my stash and sewing room, and I want to give anyone a chance to use some quilty/non-quilty items I found. There may be some items that you will pass on, some you will be willing to take a chance on, and some you Sew Want that you can't stand it... Who knows, you may be the only one on the comment list.....

Simple "rules" - just comment if you want to be in the running... be sure I can contact you...Non-Responders, you can put your e-mail address in your comment and/or watch closely for the winner and contact me through my profile page quickly.  My DH will continue to draw names out of a hat (bowl, whatever)

My mini-giveaways will continue to be on the 1st and 15th of each month. 

Now for pictures(click for larger view): 

(1)

(2)

(3)

This came from the same package as the first giveaway.....the pictures seem to have a little more purplish cast to them than they actually are..the dark area is purple, but to me, it is slightly more pickish in color.  The pictures are close, however.

Of course the first thing you think of is "Applique!!!"  For that use, the tablecloth is in good shape.  The colors are clear and soft.  It is approximately 45" x 50"and made of heavy cotton (feels like a tablecloth). I am not very knowledgeable, but I don't think it is linen.  It seems to have been washed several times and is still in good shape.

The flaws:  a hole in the middle, away from the bows and flowers ....maybe it was on a patio table with an umbrella.

 

Being a tablecloth, it does have a few stains and several spots, mainly concentrated in 1 side quarter (as shown in Picture 2).  It should not really present a problem either. I did not see any discoloration on any of the bows or flowers...

I put my 8.5" and 12.5" templates over the bows to give you an idea of their scale.  As I said, this is a "tablecloth cotton", so bear that in mind.  I have not ventured into the applique arena  as of now, but assume that the weight should be okay on a quilt or whatever.

Or, if you have an umbrella-covered table outside, that's okay too.

This giveaway will close at 10:00AM(CST) on January 17.  I will announce and contact the winner in a separate post hopefully as soon afterwards as possible within the next 24 hours.  Then the winner will have another 24 hours to contact me with their snail mail address.  Again, no contact, no winner,,,and I will have DH draw again....

I hope to continue these giveaways twice a month until I run out of things to giveaway......it will be an ongoing process with an eventual end.

GOOD LUCK!

PS:  What's going to be given away on Feb. 1??........

Tips and Thoughts in Sewing Room Part IV

1)  New design thoughts: Roman Numerals ....Your Initials.....Raindrops.....

2)  I found I can cope with sewing long strips together end to end ...unless I end up with a circle.   Deep breath, slowly let out......and continue on....

3)  Learning color values....long way to go.....basic rule? ....dark, then light, then dark, then light,,,,, or.... dark, light, dark, dark light dark...  Humm, medium has to be in there somewhere........

4)  I just realized... I love dots.....................

5)   Something whispered at quilting get-togethers: There are other things than quilts to make sometimes. After working on a big project for a long time, you are allowed to take a break and make a mug rug or two, or a table runner, just to feel a sense of accomplishment. Then get back to the task at hand with a fresher look.

6)  Be sure to keep the top on your ripper and especially on that pointy thing you use to keep the seams under your pressure foot.....Ouch!

7) NEVER eat while sewing....especially popcorn....the buttery kind.

8) Being without internet service during storms is maddening.....to top it off.. lightening and thunder keeps my sewing machine quiet also! (unplug your machine at the wall during storms!)

9)  White fabric solves so many "this won't go with that!" problems!

10) Sometimes staying in your pajamas all day is a wonderful way to feel decadent!

1 Year Anniversary for Sarah

Sarah Craig at Confessions of a Fabric Addict is celebrating her 1 year anniversary of her blog with a giveaway of a beautiful pillow cover + ????.  Always love a giveaway, especially if I know exactly what to do with what I win!

Big, Big Bad Back - Tool Quilt

I have a phobia-of making a backing too small for my quilts.  So I over-compensate, BIG TIME!

So, when I decided to make my own backing for the tool quilt, using my scraps/stash, I made the top big, (overkill!).  I wanted to make a couple of more borders, but decided not too

I also came very close to just making another quilt top, but then I would have to worry about (sort of) matching the back of two (2,, not 1) quilts.  The 4 blue corners are the "just in case" corners.....they are there if I need them.  Whatever I trim from the sides after quilting, I will use for the binding. 

Now to put these together in a sandwich........

I'll be back.....eventually......