Which Way

do I turn first??? It's spring break and I have so many "things" I wanted to get done, so many places I wanted to go.......Now here it is half way over and what have I accomplished??????

I must admit that Anna (from Germany) is a joy to have here, but I am not used to having anyone around during the day and most evenings! Let alone, someone who can't drive! I (we) have adjusted and some daily chores just get pushed aside!

Haven't accomplished any quilting this week! I've been looking for a top I had stored away, wanting to finish it for a graduation gift, and after cleaning/rearranging three rooms, I still can't find it! But, my quilting supplies and fabrics are organized now! I've decided to start a new quilt and see if I can get most of it (maybe all) pieced this coming weekend? Am going to a mini-retreat and will have 3 days of blissful sewing/quilting without someone wanting something! Gosh, I need to get my "stuff" packed...I leave in the morning!

Tonight they will come replace my ceiling fan in my living room. The motor burned up Monday night and we are thankful I found it before a fire started or other major damage was done!

Now, won't you join me in wishing Debi a Happy Birthday? See her blog here:
http://debiquilts.blogspot.com/2008/03/birthday-blog-giveaway.html

Happy Birthday Debi!


~Irene~

This-n-that

Once again time has flown by! Spent a weekend snowed in in Columbus awaiting the arrival of our German exchange student. Her Friday evening arrival was delayed until Sunday noon, but was well worth the wait. Anna-Lena is fitting in with our family and I will hate to see her leave again in two weeks!

Haven't been sewing or quilting much, jus a little here and a little there. Accomplishments this month include: 3 blocks for a QOV quilt, 3 friendship star blocks for a comfort quilt for our friend "Tippy" whose husband passed away this past week, and 25 4" blocks for a QS sample for a friend's shop.

Part of yesterday and today were spent doing a little "touristy" things with Anna, and some remodeling and rearranging in our family room. Am very tired, but happy with the results so far. Now to get everything completed? Hopefully before the May 17th wedding of DS and the May 25th graduation of DD! I'll just keep working at it a little at a time!

Happy Easter to each of you!

~Irene~

Still quilting

Even though I have limited time right now, I try to steal a few minutes eash day. After unquilting this quilt twice, I finally finished it! Not throughly thrilled with my quilting but Mic loves it so will be satisfied.

Now, which UFO do I finish next or do I start a new quilt?? With all the chatter of quilted bags, I may try one.....will have to see what the new week bring? (as long as it's NOT more snow and ice!)

~Irene~

February blues?

Even though we haven't been having schoool, ie work for me, I am not getting much of anything accomplished! All the snow/ice/wind/cold has me hiding in the house, but no energy to quilt. Seems all we get done is shovel snow and then shovel again!

Did manage to find a small car that Mic will drive to replace the Explorer. Her dk. green Neon arrives next week. Not exactly what she wanted, but the price was right and we got a great deal on it, so.............

Did get the taxes done and the wedding rehearsal dinner menu made. Since the wedding has been moved up to 5/17 and Mic graduates the next weekend, I needed to get started on menus, etc. Have part of the graduation party menu done.......thinking on the line of appitizers/finger foods so suggestions appreciated!

All to soon it is time to head back out the door....have to readjust to the "normal" schedule again! Maybe I will feel like quilting this evening? Sure hope so because my machine is calling my name! Can you hear it too?

~Irene~

Another UFO completed!

Time marches on.....winter is still with us! The cold wind chills, ice, & snow gave us three days off last week but I still didn't get much quilting done! Mic and I did get a room ready for our exchange student arriving from Germany on March 7th. Since we were cleaning and moving furniture around, we did our spring cleaning early. Just have to do the drapes/curtains and windows when it decides to warm up outside!

Ry & Amber have decided to move their wedding date up to May 17th! With Mic graduating on the 25th, I will be extra busy the next few months! I did get a chance to go visit Lesa over the long weekend. Met up with Janet and Kris for some fabric shopping and lunch on Saturday. Sure was fun!

I also got the quilt quilted (and the binding on) that will be given to Ry & Amber as a wedding gift. Another UFO crossed off the list! Also got my Autumn Tints blocks into a top. Then I cut out 4 more of my "God's Eye" blocks. All to soon it was time to head back east! At least I beat the sleet/snow home!
(Ripple Effect pattern)

Am thrilled we only have a four day week this week. I find it harder and harder to go to work each day, but alas, if I don't work, I can't play! (and I love my hobby and traveling to visit other quilters!)

~Irene~

This-N-That

Another day off school due to the sub-zero wind chills. bbbrrrrrrrrrrr! Was all to happy to crawl back into my warm bed this morning! Finally about noon, Mic and I ventured out. First stop was the local sherriff's department to pick up a copy of the accident report she was involved in last Wednesday. We are thanking God she wasn't hurt more than bumps and bruises! Can't say the same about my Explorer! After twelve years, I have to say good-bye to my old faithful! Then again, cars can be replaced, my kid can't! Mic was not at fault, the driver of the other car blew a tire and came left of center, side-swiping her.

We stopped at the bank, depositing paychecks, then went on another prom dress hunt! Finally after three shops and trying on A LOT of dresses, she found the dress she liked! So one more thing I can cross off my list! YEAH!

Haven't been doing any sewing/quilting! Just to darn busy with everyday stuff. I am hoping to get back to my machine this week sometime, I hear it calling my name. Can you heard it too???

IF we get another car by Friday, I would like to go see Kris and Lesa over the weekend since we have a long weekend again. Will see what happens as the week goes along.

Stay safe and warm! They tell me spring IS just around the corner!
~Irene~

Brrrrrrrr, so quilting!

Oh so cold outside today! Layers of clothes but still quite cold on the bus! Decided I didn't have to be outside anymore than absolutely had to, so sewed/quilted.

Got my version of "Starry Nights" completed.

Way past bedtime so am off for today.

~Irene~

Still quilting

Still quilting away as time allows......great way to pass the time as the cold winds howl!

Selected three blocks from a swap and make a tablerunner this time around.

Saw the new Keepsakes Catalog, (http://www.keepsakequilting.com/) and oh my! Love some of the patterns! Now, how can I justify buying them and starting more projects before I have this list of UFOs finished?????

~Irene~

Another UFO bites the dust!

Not much hapening this week. Braving the cold and snow! Had a wonderful birthday and now must get back to doing stuff in "my world!"

Quilted my Jaunty Rails last weekend and finally finished

the binding this week. Will either give as a gift or keep for

future grandkids.

I also started machine quilting my Starry Nights, but messed up in the borders so am in the process of unquilting...uck! So back to the chair with my ripper and book on tape! Should keep me out of trouble for a bit!

~Irene~

UFO Progress

Joined a few friends over the weekend to quilt and sew. Made some progress, but didn't completely finish anything. Quilted a baby quilt and tablerunner, but they still need the bindings sewn down. Started another new quilt, yes I know, I supposed to be finishing quilts, not starting them, but...........I have a lot that need to be quilted, so I may have to set up the hand quilting frame and start hand quilting again. Would rather machine quilt them, but can't quilt the bigger ones on my machine.......maybe I can get some done over the next long weekend?

Thanks to Sherry for the bed and getting a room for us! Thanks to Sherry, Bonnie, Lesa, and Lucille for your companionship! I totally enjoyed myself! Now it's back to the working world tomorrow.

~Irene~

Cold weather, warm quilts!

Winter has come to NE Ohio! Cold, windy, icy, and snowy! Not the kind of weather I like for school bus driving!

On the quilty side, I finished piecing my leaf quilt (Third Week in October) on Saturday! Every spare minute I had last week was spent trying to get this top done! Now, to get it quilted...hope it doesn't take me 15 month like it did to piece it!

Now, what is my next project???? I will contiue to work on my UFO's but for those of you that know me, I just have to have a WIP too! Am thinking about a black and bright batik of some kind...will see what comes up this weekend!

Going to visit quilting friends for 3 days....and yes, my pal Lesa will be there too.....oooooooooo we may get into trouble looking at patterns, fabrics, quilts, etc......wonder if we will get any sleep?????

~Irene~

Another UFO becomes a quilt

I finished up another UFO. I am determoined to clean out the cupboard of unfinished projects! I know there are some in there that I no longer like or want. They will be donated to PL or some other group. Now, to figure out what to do with the fabrics I don't care for anymore......

~Irene~

Still quilting

Had the honor of Lesa visiting last week for a few days and sew/quilt we did! She made a bright flannel quilt (http://www.lesabame.blogspot.com/) and I managed to make two more tops to add to my UFO pile! Hopefully I will get them quilted soon!

I have been struggling with the actual machine quilting--doing more unquilting than getting anything finished! I have joined Ohio Quilters UFO challenge (10 finished in 6 months???). One is done...only 9 more to go! Sad to say, this only puts a small dent into the UFO pile!



Not sure how much I'll get accomplished over the weekend (working tomorrow). Break was wonderful and I really didn't want to go back to that big yellow school bus yesterday, but survived the two regular days. Tomorrow will be short, but good pay. I will most likely work more Saturdays since a coworker has been diagnosed with cancer and starts treatments next week. Prayers for John would be appreciated!

K.....off to fight with that huge flannel quilt again!
~Irene~

The last of the 2007 quilts

Finished up two more quilts on New Year's Eve.....

A bargello wall hanging

and a baby quilt made from swap blocks.

Now I need to do another invetory and decide what I will work on in the year of 2008! Slowly my pile of blocks are becoming quilts!

~Irene~

Update

Time is flying by! I am on break and loving every minute of it!

Christmas was a happy time at our house. Just the seven of us but we had fun eating exchanging gifts, and playing games!

Mic is coming along really well with her rehab...in fact, if her brace arrived, she will throw away the crutches tomorrow--oh happy day! She is walking around the house without them anyway but they protect her when she is out and about. We are so thankful that she has very little pain! Only occassionally uses Advil--no prescription drugs anymore!

Most of us are fighting allergies right now--it's no wonder! First is below 32 the warms up to 45 on Christmas day...crazy Ohio weather! Have had a lot of rain again but at least it's not SNOW!!!

I've been working on my TWiO quilt......am beginning to wonder if I'll ever get it done? Moved my sewing room into the living room today setting up two tables. Have some quilting friends coming tomorrow to spend a few days. My sewing room is just to small for more than one person so we are taking over the living room!

Now I must get some sleep as I know I won't sleep much the next 2-4 days as we tend to sew late into the night/morning when we get together! Oh I can hardly wait!

Wishing you all a safe and happy New Year.

~Irene~

Finishes

Finished my BellaBella top.

And the Baby flannel rag quilt.

This-N-That

Cleaning--YUCK! I hate to do it, but it must be done! This week I worked on getting my sewing room back into a presentable condition! It was messy and dark! Tubs and bags stashed everywhere and half the time I couldn't find what I needed/wanted although I was sure I had it!

Before: (because of the poor lighting, you can't see the mountains piled under the table)

After:

I still have a set of shelves that need to be sorted, but at least now I know what I have and can find it! Oh, and it's a lot nicer sewing with more lighting! The ceiling fixture needs an electrician and he can't come until later this month.

As far as sewing/quilting this past week. I did finish a baby flannel rag quilt. I will either store it for future grand kids or give it to my neighbor who is due on Christmas Day.

I also worked on my BellaBella. I need to add the center circle and it will be pieced. Want to pick up a yellow thread first. Need to find a quilter for this one.

Then I started setting my Autumn Trails blocks...need to make more blocks to have a nice sized lap quilt. So I guess I know what to work on in my spare (?) time this week! DD starts rehab and I am driving more as we have a lot of Holiday concerts to take the kids to plus basketball games. Company coming Friday so also need to make sure the whole house is spotless! Maybe I should go grocery shopping too so there is food here too????

Have a wonderful week!

~Irene~

Post-op

Mic had her ACL surgery yesterday. Long 12 hrs. in the hospital but she's home and is doing great so far. One pain pill every 4 hrs. seems to be enough for now. She had a great night last night (only got me up once) and is about to settle down for tonight. Did have some visitors this evening and she enjoyed that.

Back to see the Doc on Wed. then will find out when rehab begins (ut-oh). She's been doing the little stretch/bend exercises he told her to do so am hoping thatis helping.

Thanks for your prayers!

~Irene~

Flannel Quilts

So have you ever made a flannel quilt? I'm not fond of working with flannel, but I just can't pass up that yearly swap! The quilts are soooo warm! This year we did our blocks a little different, raggy style! Got my oldest daughter, Stacy, to swap too so we'd have more blocks. Of course, she then got the finished quilt too!
(front) (back)










I also am working on finishing last years blocks. Am waiting on the last border fabric to arrive as I ran out and had to order more...Mic will get this one then all my kids will have warm flannel quilts. Does mom get one next year?

Also pulled out a raggy baby flannel quilt I started about 2 years ago and never finished. My neighbor is having a baby around Christmas Day....might make a nice gift?


~Irene~

Frustrating Day

Why is it when I want to get a lot done, nothing goes right? Trying to get some swap blocks done, first I cut wrong--how can you cut 2.5" strips wrong? I can and did--grrrrrr! Finally have them all cut correctly and start sewing---now I need 14 blocks--no big deal--wrong again! Half of them I had to unsew and redo! After five looooooooooooong hours they are finally done!

Also need to make two more of the 30's blocks so I have enough for a baby quilt....pieces for those are cut. Am hoping to still finish them tonight.

Then I'd also like to start seting my flannel blocks from the 2006 swap, bu I can't find them! Mic and I have turned this sewing room upside down and then some looking for them! I am beginning to think that I took them to retreat with me and left them there..will have to call Sheryl and see or did I take them along to Lesa's and leave them there? Don't think so as I didn't see them last weekend. huuuummmmm

Did get the 2007 flannel blocks into a quilt yesterday before work..It's a "raggy" quilt so still have all the snipping to do. (Picture later).

Now for the good news! I WON a door prize during Planet Patchwoos One Day Mystery Event today!!!!

Hopefully the rest of the week will go much better sewing wise! I need to get a few things added to the finished list before the new year rolls around!

~Irene~