Sewing Weekend

I feel like I had my own little sewing retreat! I got a lot accomplished. My hubby was busy with homework from on-line classes so I locked myself away in my room to get some projects from one step to another. (Notice I didn't say they are finished!) lol
I got borders on my Bread & Butter blocks. Yay!
Then I pieced the backing and got the batting cut. I even remembered to cut the binding!! That's a first!! Usually I have to scramble to match the binding because I don't remember to do it when piecing the border but I did this time!
Then I pieced the backing for this project. I just used Kona white because this is a table topper and I couldn't seem to find anything that I liked on the back. Cut the batting for this one too so it's ready to be quilted.
Then I pieced the back for this project. This is the 9 patch 30's top that I did when my sister was visiting in July. I had 10" 30's squares in my stash. They were for the back for another project but I ended up using something else instead and they were just sitting in the drawer. They were a perfect fit for this top. Got the batting cut and wahlah, #250 of tops to be quilted. Well, not really 250 but it sure the heck feels like it! Now all I need area a few hundred "quilting" weekends!

Chuggin' Away

Sewing night was at my house this week. I had my machine moved out to the dining room and then what? What to work on since I have five million unfinished projects and a list from here to China to do?? Well, first I sewed two little 4 patches together to finish the pattern on my design wall. Then.....on my sewing room table were these lovely little "parts". They have been on the table since July when I went to Camp Watchapatcher with my sister (who, by the way, has her blocks all sewed together and her top done already! She's such an over achiever!) Yes, I'm jealous. You could tell huh? lol
Well, I didn't count but I think I got about 10 of these units sewed together. I'll finish the stack (sometime) and then put the arc pieces on. It's so nice to have so much to choose from and not be bored with the same old stuff under my needle. Yeah, that's it!
How good are you at knowing block names? Someone on one of the Yahoo groups shared a link for this test. My sorry block knowlege only got 20 out of 30. Guess I better hit the quilt books and study harder! Good luck.

What's on your design wall?

This is what's on mine. I hostessed a swap on Backporch Friends for 3 1/2" four patches. We did 30's prints with bleached muslin or civil war prints with shirting fabrics. I'm waiting on one more person's civil war blocks and then I'll share those blocks with you.
These are my 30's blocks plus a few extras I had. I might even make more depending on how big this is when I sew the strips together. I was originally going to use these as a small outter border to other 30's blocks but I think I'll make a wall hanging with them instead. Who knows. I've got some ideas so I'll leave them up there to stir the creative juices until they say something to me. You know it's bad if your blocks start talking to you!!!
Plus, they won't get sewed together any time soon. There are way too many things in front of this on "the list". You have a "list" too, don't you? I'm sure everyone has one. :o)

Sew, Sew, Sew...

Whew, what a weekend! Friday I took a class with my friend Sherrie. She's the one that gave me my serger. They had a class for heirloom pillowcases. All the lace hadn't come in on time for the first class so we got certain parts done and had to finish this Friday. It normally would've only been a one night class. Everything was done on the serger but actually, a lot of edges didn't catch with the serger so I had to zig zag over some seams with my regular machine. But it was good to take the class to keep using the machine and remember how to thread it.

I like the way it looks and would've never done this on my own so the class was good.

I got home and my daughter had this little one over. This is my surrogate grandchild. We get to borrow her now and then. My daughter was her nanny for a while when she was taking college classes at night. She calls me Grandma Liz and I just love it. I can't wait til I have my own grandbabies! :o) She came to stay the night Friday and she is my little shadow when she is over. She kept asking if we could sew something and I was able to put her off until Saturday. So I ironed some freezer paper to a scrap piece of fabric. She colored a picture and then we sewed a border around it. It came out pretty cute. She wanted to take it home but I told her I'd put a back on it and then she could hang it in her room. So I'm not exactly quilting but at least I got to play behind my machine.

In Memory....

It's hard to believe it has been seven years since the bombing of 9/11. I hope you were able to take a moment today to remember the people who fought to save the lives that they could and to say a prayer for the families who lost loved ones. We are a great nation under God.

He's the birthday boy but I got the present!

Happy Birthday to my hubby. He's having an anniversary of his 29th birthday. :o) We went to dinner with the kids. It was great food and we had some laughs.
And I got a present too!
When I got home from work, I had a package from my buddy Carolyn. She made me this adorable clothespin bag. I put it on an old wooden hanger and now you know what? I have to paint and redo my laundry room! LOL

You never know what you'll see at a car show...

Sunday, I went with my hubby to a car show in Belmont Shores in Long Beach (CA). It was wonderful weather. I even got a bit of a tan. Woohoo! :o)

There was a PT Cruiser car club at the entrance of the show. And when you think you've seen it all......a "fountain" in the trunk space with REAL running water!!!!
There were gobs of people and dreamy cars. Three long blocks of cars and a few vendors.
Anyone looking for a deal on a casket. Although that would hold an awful lot of quilting fabric! LOL
And there was a celebrity citing! The Foster Farms California Chickens!!! :o)

Shoebox Exchange

I put away my sewing machine for a little while to have a card party of sorts. I had a shoebox exchange with some friends today. We started out with an easy lunch and then got to stamping, folding and gluing.

Here's the group holding up the card we made - Viviana (Neena's granddaughter), Becca, Monica, Susan, Sherrie, Neena, Kelley and me.

To do the exchange we just put all the supplies in a shoebox for a card of our choice. You had to include the stamps, ink, embelleshments, etc. Then we each took a turn giving instructions on how to make the card we brought. We already had all the paper cut to make it easier. We all went home with 8 great cards!

Susan

Viviana

Sherrie
Kelley

Liz

Neena

Almost all of the cards are better colors than the way my camera shows them. We had such a great time. If you do this, eight is most I would have do this. With having lunch and making the cards, we got done in about 4 1/2 hours. Mostly we wanted to do it because we have the supplies for making cards but never get around to it. Then when something comes up, I'm at Hallmark buying one for three or four dollars! Grrrrrrrr. lol

The Birthday Girl!

Happy Birthday to my mama! She will be 80 years old on September 4th so we had a birthday party for her on Saturday. Everyone in the family was able to make except one niece and one nephew. There was plenty of food and lots and LOTS of talking!!!! There were times when I went outside just to have a moment of silence. My mom loved the attention.