Getting there...

Take a look. Whaddya think? All the furniture is now moved and some of the wall things are up so the next step is to sort through all my notions and fabrics. See the wooden dove? It's a spool holder! One of my clients came in with it today. She said someone made it for her years ago and she no longer needs it, so she wants me to have it. How thoughtful is that? I want to go through all my threads and group them by color and/or
manfacturer.

I had an extra shelf with hooks so I hung it to the left of the computer to hold my cups of pencils and other sharp objects. Having the ironing board right behind my chair is going to eliminate my having to get up and move. That may not be the best idea, but for now, I'll take it.
I placed my cutting table directly in front of my sewing machine to give me some area to quilt larger quilts. The new shelves are full of fabric that still needs to be arranged. The bookshelves need to be sorted, too, but for the most part, I think I'm almost done! Hear that, April? How soon can we have that carrot cake? lol


I want to hang a quilt on the empty wall space. So, I guess I better get one of my many tops finished.

Thread surprise!

No, I didn't find these spools of thread in my unending pile of stuff! LOL One of my very generous clients brought these boxes of thread to the shop today. She has been cleaning out and has, in the past, brought me yards and yards of fabric that I have been able to use. Most of the fabric has been utilized in the comfort quilts shown in previous posts. The small spools are all wooden so I imagine the thread is pretty old. Do you think it will still be good enough to use in piecing? The other thread is much newer.

We celebrated Dad's 78th birthday at his house tonight. I made red chili enchiladas and Spanish rice. April and Rob brought the cake. Jim, Judy and Joe made up the rest of the party. I'm ashamed to admit that this is the first time I have ever made red chili! I told Judy that I didn't have to know how since either she or Mom always made it when we had enchiladas or chili and pork. Dad sat at the table and supervised my chili-making experience. I think we did a great job! I liked it, anyway.

Jim and I moved the big chest of drawers that was in the sewing room. We carried it out to the pickup. He and Rob have some errands to run tomorrow so they will take it where it is needed. I want to replace the chest with shelving. I hope to find something at Walmart or Lowe's tomorrow.

I was going to do some sorting tonight, but I am too tired. It was crazy at work today. Tomorrow will be the same. Leota is taking the week off next week, so I will be pretty busy. I hope I can get my room in order so I can just sit and sew when I get home from work.

Found treasures

"How could you NOT know these were in the closet!?", you might ask. I did know they were there, but had not looked at them in such a very long time. These are quilts that were painted with the Tri Chem paint system, many, many years ago. I am pretty sure that Mom painted them. I remember helping with some of them. My Aunt Dolores may have had a hand in some of them, too. There was a lot of block painting going on back then. I'm thinking that my grandmother Venancia had a hand in tying them. They are sandwiched with other blankets. Aunt D. gave me a bag full of blocks just like these that I have turned into two quilts so far.

My thinking is that I will take these blocks apart, just as I did another baby quilt Mom had done. That one is hanging in Judy's house. This is one of those blocks. Those blocks were actually embroidered, with thread. I show you only one block because I can't find a pic of the whole quilt right now and I really need to get ready for work. lol

I would love to take the time to embroider the flower blocks in the old quilt since they are fading. The kittens and lambs still look brand new! I know they have to be at least 40 years old. You can see the kitten quilt coming apart at the top right corner.

Last, but not least, today is May 30 and Dad's 78th birthday! Happy Birthday, Dad!

Plugging away..

So, who's smart idea was it that I should clean this room??!! LOL Since I started with the closet, I've now moved the drawers that were under the cutting table into the empty closet. I have birthday swap blocks hanging on hangers on the right hand side. The shelf above has tops that need quilting and the shelf to the left of the drawers holds finished seasonal tablerunners and wallhangings. That shelf also holds fusible interfacings. Deeper to the left are odds and ends in totebags, ie., crochet threads, Christmas wrap, etc.. The fabric in the drawers will be sorted and rearranged once the room is in order. I did that about two years ago and it worked really well sorting the fabric by color. But, as you can see, it's all jumbled up again. And, I've got a cutting table full of fabric that will ultimately go in the drawers, too.

I cannot believe how dusty everything is! Of course, it's hard to come in here and dust the surfaces, (if there is a surface showing, lol). That's why I never let the cleaning ladies in here. There was no point.

I am sitting here looking around at all the spools of thread that are just sitting on the desk. Where do I put them??!! I have spool holders on the wall and they're not even full, but they are just not easily accessible. I want to re-arrange the furniture but haven't figured out where to move it. I can't move furniture until I do something with the stacks of books and fabric!

What I would really like to do is just take EVERYTHING out of the room, wall decorations included, and maybe paint and start all over. Just the thought of that makes me want to heave. lol I told Jim I feel as though I'm moving in slow motion. Is that part of getting older? I used to decide on what I was going to do, get in there and DO IT, and was happy with it. Now I can't even decide where to start, much less what to do!

I told Jim that the pile next to the front door is what needs to go to the dumpster. Another pile in the living room will go to Goodwill. I told him I was ruthless in my decisions as to what goes and what stays. Consequently, there are things going out the door that years ago were some of my favorite things. But, our tastes change and "things" get old and worn, and so, must make way for new things. That's my story and I'm sticking to it! lol He promised he wouldn't look in the bags and boxes. Sometimes I think he's a bigger pack rat than I am! Just look in the garage...lol He informed me that the next area we will clean out will be the kitchen cabinets. I agree. But, not until I get this area under control!

Sewing room disorganization

Oh my goodness! What was I thinking! I started sorting through "stuff" (I really want to use **another** word, lol) in the closet in this room and it has overwhelmed me! Just pulling from the closet into the room has made a huge pile of more ugliness! lol Now I have a little trail from the door to my desk. The picture shows what a bigger mess I've made. yuck

There were clothes in the closet that need to go to Goodwill. I forgot I have a box full of old clothes patterns from when I used to sew for myself and the boys. Do you think they might be worth anything? Some of them were only 75 cents! Most were $1. I hate to throw them away. As I look through them it brings back so many memories, but I just can't store them forever..can I? And, suitcases! Oh my goodness. I'll not use these ever again because they don't have wheels.

I want to clean out the closet not only to get rid of junk, but to have a place to stack the drawers I now have under my cutting table. I think that will give them easier access. If Jim can fix the light in the closet, that will be even better. lol I asked him to change the lightbulb in the closet, but something is wrong with the wiring. He'll work on it until it's fixed, though. That's the way he is. Thank you, honey!

Earlier, Judy had called and said, "Let's go eat." How could I say no especially when I was needing a break? We took Dad his dinner and I came on home. I decided to post this picture in order to give me an impetus (definition - stimulation or encouragement resulting in increased activity!) That's what I need, encouragement. I'm sitting here looking around at the piles of stuff and I don't even know where to continue. But, I will. I've turned the television on and am listening to Reba. I don't have to actually watch the show since I've seen them all at least 15 times. lol

Yes, I'm procrastinating...again. I'm off to organize!

Red, white and blue bag

Now that Deborah has received her birthday gift, I can post a picture of it. This one is called "Summer Tote" by Lazy Girl Designs. Easy as pie and too cute. Lots and lots of room. Probably the biggest inside area of any of the bags I've ever made. I filled it with some fabric, a calender and some redwork design patterns. I also found some little red, white and blue beads to string and add to the zipper pull.

Guess what? I'm going to work on organizing my room this afternoon...really.. lol

See the difference?

No, I didn't lose my mind for a minute. This is another picture of the Star Lights on the wall. I changed out the light pink fabric in the bottom row of the last picture. Can you see the difference? I think I may need to change out a few more pieces, too. Seriously, the darker, the better. The pattern calls for medium to dark prints and boy, are they right. lol I'm not so sure that even the medium prints will work for me. Oh, and these two pics only show a little part of what the finished quilt will be. It calls for 12 of the 5.5" blocks across the top with the rectangles inbetween and 12 rows down. The quilt should finish at 93" x 109". Thanks to all who have stopped by to comment or sent emails. I love hearing from all of you!

We've only just begun...

Yes, the StarLight quilt is underway! There will be three of them since each of us will be making our own quilt. April, Judy and I spent the afternoon cutting the beige or cream-colored fabric that will ultimately be the stars in this wonderfully scrappy quilt. I think April was a little upset that we won't be able to quilt-as-you-go with this one. I hope we will be able to quilt it in three or four sections, though, and it won't be so overwhelming. Like she says, though, it'll be another few years before we get to that point! LOL Oh ye, of little faith.. April actually sewed several squares together to get the feel of it. Judy was not too far behind. She had to change blades in her rotary cutter so it set her back a few minutes. Not that we were in a contest! lol April gets impatient to see the end result -- a lot like me! I just want to hurry up and finish so I can see what it looks like. Now that I see a picture of it on here, I can tell that the large squares will have to be darker than the light pink one in the last row. More contrast really shows the stars. So, April and Judy, when working with yours, don't even use the light squares. There shouldn't be too many of them.

While the girls were sewing, Joe installed blinds in Judy's dining room and Rob put up a mirror and then started the hamburgers. Robert has become quite a cook since he and April got married. We had a nice dinner of hamburgers on the grill, sausages, potato salad, chips, and chocolate chip cookies. Jim and Dad stayed in their respective homes and so had dinner brought later.

I don't plan on going to work tomorrow since I don't have any customers scheduled. I think I'll try to work in my sewing room. Cleaning, not sewing :-( I am going to work on the StarLight rectangles for a while tonight.

Betty Boop tote

I finally found a use for these Betty Boop pillow panels. A friend decided she wants a purse with a gambling motif and I just happened to have this in my stash. I thought all afternoon about how to use the panels in a purse/tote. I didn't want to add a pocket on the outside because it would cover the cute Betty Boops and the cards. So, I decided to keep it simple. There are pockets on the inside, though. I thought about adding a pocket on the side of the bag, for a cell phone, but then it would cover the dice along the sides. All in all, I think it turned out great. I didn't quilt the fabric. Instead, I used a heavyweight fusible interfacing to give it body. I interfaced the lining, too, so it's got a good weight.
Well, now that it's done, I'm not sure I want to get rid of it! LOL I collect Betty Boop collectibles, so I may just have to keep this and make my friend another bag with other Las Vegas/casino/gambling themes.

I have really got to get away from these bags for a while. I've got to work on the round robin vest, a wedding quilt for a friend's granddaughter, make a few more sets of placemats and start the Star Lights quilt. But, first, I'd really like to organize my room. Right now...I think I'll go to bed. lol

Yet another...

Did I mention I really like this pattern? LOL This one has just the short handles instead of the long shoulder strap. I'm thinkin' I like it better with these handles... I learn something new everytime I make it. I've run out of the pre-quilted fabric now so I'll have to make my own. So, the next one will look a little different. I did break two needles working on this one. Sometimes it gets a little bulky working on seams, but it's not that bad. Possibly I was in a bit of a hurry while making this one and therefore, did not take as much time in dealing with that little obstacle.

Alrighty then! I think I am ready to move on to another quilt! Off to work, first..

Purse-a-thon

I'm on another kick. I'm looking for an easy, cute pattern to make for gifts and I think I may have found it. Maybe two patterns. The first one is called a "Humbug Bag". Simple, with a zipper and little ribbon handle.
The next bag is called the "Sassy Bag". I really like this one. I didn't choose the best fabrics for this one, but I can see the possibilities. This one has two pockets on the inside and one on the back. The front is pleated to give even more room! I like it. Click on the pics to get a closer look.
I made these bags waiting patiently for my new great-nephew, Adan, to be born. And he was, at 10:28 p.m. CT. Don't know much more just yet except that he was 6 lbs., 14 oz. and 21" long. Hope to see pictures soon. This is my brother Henry and Shanon's first grandson. They also have a granddaughter, Journey.
All this sewing and waiting for a baby to be born has worn me out! lol Time to get ready for bed.

Experimenting...

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

I'm getting too old...lol

Oh my goodness!! How can sitting in a car, not even driving, make you sooo tired?? I am so sore today after our trip to Ruidoso. We had a great time, though. I talked to Dad this morning and he, too, is sore! Jim just feels like he has a hangover and he didn't even drink! LOL We did stay up much later than we usually do, though, so that's where some of our fatigue is from. Some of my soreness is probably due to the fact that I did help Dad up and down quite a bit. Jim did all the bathroom duty and I am so grateful to him for that. I've seen many a men's restroom this past year and I was not looking forward to having to do that on this trip. But, you do what ya gotta do...

The room with a view is where we stayed. It is absolutely beautiful there. 'Course, we didn't spend much time in the room to enjoy the view, but we had it.
This was Dad's favorite thing about the whole trip. The little scooter was just what he needed to get around the hotel and casino. There was no way he could've managed the looong hallways. He did have to use the walker at the other casino, but it wasn't too bad. He got a lot of exercise and that's why he is so sore today.
I'm sorry the picture where Dad is smiling on the scooter is so light. But, I think you can see the smile on his face.

We were fortunate enough to get to see many friends and relatives while in Mescalero (that's where the Inn of the Mountain Gods is located). I wish we could've spent a little more time with my aunt and her family, but it's hard to get it all in when you're just there for the night and one day.

I called the shop this morning and Carol told me there is no one on my book for the day, so I am just going to take it slow this morning. I'll get ready for the day and run my Monday errands. I want to pick up some beige fabric for the Star Lights quilt we'll be starting very soon.

A new purse!

I finally figured out how to put a zipper in a bag and have it look good! LOL Thank you, Vickie! This purse still needs a button on the front pocket and the zipper ends need to be tacked down a little better, but for all intents and purposes, it is done! I love it! I think I will make a few more. This may make a nice Christmas gift for someone...
I finished the back pocket a little different than the instructions asked for. Since I used prequilted fabric, I had to finish the top of the pocket somehow. I used a technique I use on my favorite bag and just put a little binding strip on the top. Did I mention I really like this bag? lol

Breaking news....We are going to Ruidoso in the morning and taking DAD!! Please pray that we have a safe and uneventful trip, (other than maybe winning a good jackpot!) lol I think I'll take my laptop and report on our trip on location. That is, if they have free internet but I'm bettin' they don't. If not, I'll post when I get home.

Catching up

I guess I can't be too hard on April for not blogging regularly since I've been a bit remiss in my blog-iblations, too! lol I've not been so busy that I can't post, I just haven't taken the time. I've been cutting more scraps for the Star Light project. This has reduced my stash somewhat, but in looking for more pieces to cut, I found more yardage. I've really got to get more organized. Now I need to go buy the cream-colored fabric for the stars.
This is another leftover bag made with strips left from the placemats. This was my first attempt at putting in a zipper. Not too bad, but I want to try another technique on the next bag.
Last, but not least, is the round robin vest for this month. The owner did the medallion (isn't it absolutely gorgeous!) and I applied the bottom part. That part is called "Reflections". My blocks were made using "rectangles or squares".

Judy and I just got back from attending a graduation luau for one of her friend's daughter. Very nicely done with all the decorations and great food.

Between large projects...

This is the picture of the front of the pattern I use for the pillow wraps. I had to take it an an angle so the flash wouldn't glare.
This is a simple bag I made tonight using leftover strips I cut off the afore-mentioned placemats. I was a little peeved that the pattern has you cut off so much in order to get the placemat the right size. So, I trimmed the strips, sewed them together and worked up a little bag. I was hoping to put a zipper in the top of this one, but I just can't figure it out. I learn by watching, and of course, reading, but I don't have very good instructions to apply the zipper. I know there are some of you out there that do that on a regular basis and you do a great job. I may need to enlist your help. So, I just bound the top, attached the handles (I've never done it this way before, with the D-rings). Oh, I did put two pockets on the inside and one of them does have a small zipper. Unfortunately, I didn't measure correctly, and the pockets are not centered anywhere. LOL I still want to add some kind of closure, preferably a magnet. Vicky, didn't you say I can get one that I can sew on?

By the way, Jim looked at it and said, "It's pretty!" LOL It really is a happy-looking bag what with the sunflowers and all the yellow. I have another piece of strips sewn together that I think I'll work up into my usual bag pattern.

More small projects

Here's the summer wrap for pillows I made a few years ago. Judy has one and Clint, at work has another one. I've only made two wraps for each of them - winter and spring. Judy's birthday was last Sunday and one of these should've been in her b'day basket. Clint's b'day dinner is tomorrow, so his pillow will have a new wrap.
This is the second set of sunflower placemats. Looks like they might be a hit at work.
I had not been signing, or labeling, the placemats so I decided to see what it looked like with just my name stitched. I think it looks fine. I should've included the year and I may go back in and do that.

Small projects

Again, I am in "hurry up and get it done" mode. I haven't started another large quilt since I'm having too much fun working, and finishing, smaller projects. These placemats were quilted a bit differently than the last set. I'm not sure which I prefer, since these took a long time, but I kinda like the look. The others were just quilted with a decorative stitch in-the-ditch to make the X in the middle to hold the 3 pieces together.

The bags were made for friends and family. You know who you are, and April, if you see this before I get it to you, here's a bag for you! lol
The dog bag was made for a special friend in Wyoming who was needing a pick-me-up, and a new bag!

Off to get ready for work. I'm running late again. Had to pay the monthly bills this morning since I forgot to do it on Monday morning.

Placemats

Another small project. Quick and easy with only four fat quarters. I can see that these will be on the list for last minute Christmas gifts this year. When I was at WalMart today, I found several fruit fabrics I'm going to use in another set.

The flip flop quilt is almost finished. I added shiny stones to the straps last night and it really enhanced the overall look. I have about half of the binding to finish.

It was a busy day at work today what with all my customers plus highlighting Judy's, April's and Rob's hair. That was fun but I am a bit tired tonight. So, now that I've finished this set of placemats, I'm going to get ready for bed.

flip flop with all borders

Here are all the borders on the flip flop wallhanging. I practiced my feathers along the borders. I still have a lot to learn turning the corners. I just don't take enough time to plan. I will probably bind with the striped fabric.