18 November 2010

Roll Roll Cotton Boll - Part 1

Well the final count down is on. The mystery from Quiltville should be posted sometime tomorrow and I am almost all set to go.


I have 2 fabrics picked out for the constant red but I don't know if they will work...I am hoping the red will, since I am on no buy and I have to make do with what I have or pay a penalty, which I don't really want to do yet since it has only been 18 days. My green constant is actually in one of the pictures, but I don't know if you can see it real well, it's in the upper left hand corner.



These are all of my yardages, once I know the sizes we need I will go through my strip bins. I already informed my husband not to worry if the quilt room looked like a bomb went off tomorrow.....

I am now all set and will post my progress as I go. I have my DVR's ready to watch, my music ready to go and all of my action movies in pile set for play. My bobbins are wound, tables are cleaned, rulers ready and my rotary blades are set to turbo speed.....enjoy everyone......til next time

Michelle

Embroidered Towels

I finally got the last of my Christmas gifts done, well sewing wise anyway and of course it ended up not being everything I wanted to do but that is the way life goes at times. The only thing that stunk about making these was the amount of time it took. Each embroidery took at least 60 minutes with most in the 80-90 minutes, and I couldn't do anything else at the same time because I had to cut the thread at the end of each row or I had threads that I couldn't get to stuck underneath the words on the next line and it didn't look so swell that way.  But as my son says, it's all good, and they are done.





Sorry if the pictures didn't come out great, I finally got a new camera and I haven't taken the time to figure it all out. It took awhile to even get these downloaded. I told my husband to read the manual on it then he could show me everything I need to know. I mean between the two of us who has time to read a manual, not me I am getting ready for a mystery...well I could take the time but hmmm quilting or reading a manual.....I let you know which one wins.

I am all geared up and ready for the RRCB (Roll Roll Cotton Boll) mystery starting tomorrow. I already told my husband he is in charge of dinner all weekend.  The last thing I have to clear off my to do list is the lap/wall quilt for my niece. I have 6 squares left to stipple then the boarder then it is done, well other than the binding and the hanging sleeve. I think this one will get all the binding sewn on, it's not my favorite way but it is the quickest.  That way the only thing I will have to do will be hand sewing the sleeve down and that I can get done before Christmas I hope.

Michelle

10 November 2010

Little Project - 2

I have been kind of procrastinating in the quilt room lately.  I have Christmas gifts that need to be done but for some reason I have no desire to do them.  Well I finally bit the bullet (kind of) and proceeded to get my trivets done...well almost...one is complete the other 10 just need the filling and to be sewn closed.

It is just a simple 12.5 square with 2 pieces of flannel on the inside.  I then sewed 6 tubes evenly across, filled with scented rice and sewed the opening closed.  The first one I did (which I forgot to take a picture of) was actually a fall one with a maple leaf on it.  I scented that one with a Chinese cinnamon. I gave it to my mother and the scent was so strong she had to put it outside, and for some reason the Chinese cinnamon smells way different than normal cinnamon but that was all I could find at the time.  The Christmas ones will be filled with lemon, lime or lemon/lime mix.  I love the smell of lemon and I love the fact that no matter how much lemon I use it isn't really that over powering, well to me anyway.

My goal is to finish the 10 I have left and then I have 10 tea towels to embroider and a baby top to quilt.  I really want all of this done before the Bonnie Hunter Mystery starts on the 19th, you would think that would be great motivation but so far it is not.  I really wanted all of that done and the quilt room straightened out.  Well I still have some time so here is hoping that I get r done.   I have a dentist appointment tomorrow and the kiddos and hubby are home for the day and then Friday I have a hair appointment.  Good thing is (maybe) that we are supposed to have snow all weekend so maybe that will ground me to the house and I may meet my goal.

Hope everyone gets a chance to sew.

Michelle

05 November 2010

Little Project 1 - Finished

The best laid plans don't always work out...I had planned on sewing the last two days but ending up running alot of errands. I did finally finish my small project the glue was still drying so I took a picture of it laying down.  I still have to add some non slip to the back.  I did have a few problems with it....I am not used to doing a running stitch and the thread I had available wasn't strong enough, but with a little extra oomph and bleepity blips I completed it.  How soon will I do another one? Well that may be a different story. 


I was hoping to get alot done tomorrow and I probably will just not necessarily sewing.  I have a light fixture for the dining room I have to help DH with, a new door lock for the garage door. Birds to clean, laundry to hang and beef jerky to make.  I am so hoping that I will still have time to sew.  I am getting farther and farther on Christmas gifts, I guess I shouldn't have procrastinated in the first place.  I have tea towels, pot holders, ornaments, and a few other things I have to embroider and everything has to be done 10 times. I also have a baby flimsy to baste and quilt.  I am so hoping to have everything done by the time the Quiltville mystery starts. I know that will throw me off track big time.  Guess it is time to put the pedal to the metal....well tomorrow anyway...getting caught up on DVR's tonight. 

Hope everyone gets a few minutes to sew this weekend.

Michelle

04 November 2010

The Love of a Son

Today I was cruising along sewing away on projects...didn't let the fact that my cable in the quilt room was out bug me....just put in MR. MOM and listened while I worked.  Then lo and behold the door bell rings...it is the UPS guy. I sign for the package and realize it is for me and I am trying to figure out what I am getting from Chicago, IL (of course it didn't click that my son is stationed there...duh).  I open up the box and there is a bagillion Styrofoam peanuts, some jewelry cleaner, a wipe cloth, a box and an envelope.  Well it turns out my baby boy (well he is actually 19 and my oldest) sent me a unique necklace. It came with the attached letter....

Medal of Honor
The Awards Ceremony

You have spent half your lifetime caring for, protecting, teaching and loving me.  The following is a presentation of all the awards you have earned for doing such a wonderful job raising me.

This award is given to those who courageously press forward and keep going, even though wounded and hurt, to meet the objective.

The first year is where you really had your job cut out.  Remember all those sleepless, thankless nights worrying about little illnesses, changing diapers, feeding and bathing me?  I now thank you for them and award you an Honorary Registered Nursing Degree for you dedication and skill.

The best teachers would have a hard time accomplishing all you did in a few short years.  You taught me right from wrong, good from bad, and most important -how to love.  I hereby award you an Honorary Masters Degree in Teaching and add my sincere appreciation for a job well done.

The formative years until I left home were rough.  Yet, you taught me to care for people and to cope with the last of life and living.  I hereby award you and Honorary Degree in Psychology and I add to the tears of joy I feel while writing this, a tender kiss of gratitude for your love.

The last few years of wondering what I have been up to and if I will get where I am going have demonstrated your ability to always be there when needed.  Even when you were not in the best of spirits, you always had enough inner strength to lift me up and keep me going.  For this you have already received your award; it is a touch of kindness, protections, and peace of mind given to those worthy of them from the Ruler of Eternity.

The next award is the enclosed Diamond Necklace.  Actually it is not meant to be an award, but a representation of my appreciation of all the work, effort, and love you have put into making me someone who is happy and proud to be your child.  When you feel down, wear it; let it remind you that in this cold world there is warmth of my love always with you.  It will last forever.  I love you for having the courage to be yourself and for being the Best Mom in the World.




So that for me was the highlight of my day...month..... year....it has been hard since my guy left in April for the Navy....but the love a mother has for a child never fades...and the love for a mother is awesome.

Thank you CJ for being a wonderful son. I love you.

Mom

Michelle

03 November 2010

Bonnie Hunter's Mystery

I am gearing up to do my first mystery from Bonnie Hunter (http://www.quiltville.com/). I have been sorting my fabrics since the colors were given awhile back.  Now that the yardage estimate has been given I am about ready.  I have decided to do the same color way that was given. I figure for my first time it would probably be the easiest.  So far I have just pulled yardage, I am going to wait until the first instructions are given to pull from my strips as far as neutrals and any of the colors go.  I figure I will get some of the fabrics I need from my strip bins but what is the point of destroying the quilt room before the need arises.  I did order a "red" as a constant that I hope will work, it is actually more of a deep red I think.  Will know when it arrives, if not I will have to rethink my options and shop my stash, since I am on No Buy status with http://www.stashbusters.com/ (more on that at a later date).



Well what do you think? Do these look like they will work? Let me know your opinions by leaving a comment. I love to hear from you all.

Michelle

Small Project Wednesday - 1

This was originally supposed to be "Small Project Tuesday" but I decided to go shopping with my mother instead, so now it is "Small Project Wednesday".  I am going to try and do this every week, at least that is my goal, lets see how long that lasts.

I am showing a picture of the fabrics I am going to use and then when it is complete, hopefully by tonight, I will show you the completed item.  How is that for a dead line?
Aren't these fabrics just the cutest.  The charm pack is from Robert Kaufman, I only needed 8 charms so I have a ton of charms left over and I already have another project in mind for them...but that will have to wait for another day.

Stay tuned for the finish and other topics coming soon.... I am off to take my baby in for a cleaning.  I made an appointment so it will only be an hour or so instead of a week.  I've got Christmas gifts I need to get done....talk about procrastination.

Michelle