Candy Land is gone ..

Another finish.  I think it turned out quite nice.

Very Pink-ish

So, I've finished the quilt top.  I mis-calculated how many blocks each strip would make.  I made 15 strips and only needed 10 and decided to use only the candy fabric.  Here are the blocks cut up and laid out.  

I wasn't sure if I was going to use the pink stripe for the border, but after laying it out and putting the bright pink for the binding (and taking this picture), I decided that I like it.

I hope she likes pink .. this is a very, very pink quilt.

I'm going to get the backing together tomorrow night (pink elephants) and piece the batting and hopefully pin it as well.  That way when we get back from Arizona, I can quilt it.

A New Project

Started a new project today.  A baby girl quilt.  I've been thinking about what to do for a while and hadn't come up with any ideas. I was showing a friend my blog and came across the following quilt ..

from May of 2011.  I wasn't sure about the dimensions and how much fabric so I looked in my notebook .. and there it was -- the drawings of it.  unfortunately no dimensions.  I ended up winging it.  I was impressed that it was actually in the notebook.  Anyway,  here's the plan.

 I got some new fabric. and sewed some strips together. 

..tomorrow I'll cut the blocks and hopefully start sewing them together.

I also got some nutcrackers today.  I really like them.

200,000 and counting ...

So, my odometer turned 200,000 this weekend .. I do think it's time for a new one.

and I missed yet another birthday.  My husband's birthday was a little over a week ago ...

here he is with his birthday donut!

Belated Birthdays! ... again

So, my last post was about missing my DIL's birthday.  This post is about missing three birthdays (got the birthday cards out, but not the blog posts).  My YS, my OS and my other DIL.

 

So Happy Birthday y'all!

Belated Birthday ..

I forgot that I was supposed to post about everyone's birthdays and missed my DIL's on October 1.  What a horrible MIL I am.  Anyway, Happy Belated Birthday to my DIL!

 

Can't wait to see her and all my grandsons at Thanksgiving!

Under The Sea, Part II

Here are more pictures ...

This is rather cheating -- not really a new post, but I wanted to get these pictures up.

Under the Sea - Finished!

So I finished my most recent project (with two weeks to spare) ...

I was going to wait until I had more pictures to post about this, but I've given it to my daughter (to take to her friend) so I can't take any more pictures.  I've asked her to take some ...

Anyway, I used a high-loft batting to give it a plush, comforter type look.  I think that part was successful.  Actually, I'm very happy with the quilt. To get the high-loft comforter look, there was quilting on just about every seam.  This meant that I had a lot of loose ends that needed to be tucked in -- quite time consuming but worth it.

I'm calling this "under the sea" because it's supposed to be made out of mermaid colors.  There are turtles and sea horses, and purples, pinks and aquas.  I'm game for another name if anyone has any suggestions.

We're giving it to her this weekend at her baby shower.  I'm excited!

We also made a diaper cake...

Remembrance

Quilter Meet & Greet

I have never done this sort of thing before (unless you count Favorite Things Friday ... ) but I am participating in a Quilting Meet & Greet being hosted by Victoriana Quilt Designs.  Please make sure to go to the main Meet & Greet post.

I started quilting just over ten years ago (can it be that long ago?).  When my first grandson was born I wanted to make him a quilt, so I asked a couple of my friends who quilt for help.  They helped me with the fabric selection, the cutting, and maybe even the tying -- I didn't actually quilt my first quilt.

Here's a picture of that quilt.

I enjoyed the process and the final product.  I like making things and giving gifts that are one of a kind.  Prior to quilting, I was into cross stitch and then knitting and crocheting.  Those things were rewarding, but there is something about quilting that I love .. but .. I didn't want to jump into it too fast and end up with tons of fabric and books .. like all the knitting supplies and cross stitch books I purchased... so I decided to take it slowly.  I only bought fabric for the quilts I was going to make.  I finished each quilt before starting another .. initially ..  now things are a little different.  I have a fabric stash.  I have books.  I even have some unfinished projects.

Around the time I started quilting, I also started blogging.  Well, actually I started blogging in 2007, a few years before my first quilt.  But once I started quilting, I needed to have ideas of what to do next.  So, rather than buy books, I started looking on line and eventually I found some quilting blogs.  When I found a blog with quilts I liked, I followed that blogger, and then I followed the bloggers that that blogger was following, and so on.

When it comes to the quilts, I really struggle with picking colors, so I frequently go with rather plain colors or add a lot of white, or I imitate what someone else has done.  I enjoy the piecing and seeing it all come together.  However, once I get the quilt pieced and basted, I really want it to be finished .. so at that point I kind of go crazy and quilt until it's done.  Most of the quilts I have made are baby quilts, they are smaller and faster and are great gifts.  Here are a few:

Anyway, I love making quilts (and giving them away).  Please take the time to visit all the other quilters in the meet & greet.  I hope you can find ones (quilts and blogs) that will inspire you and encourage you (and remember to click on the bottom button to enter the grand prize drawing).

Here's a peak at my most recent project -- I have to be finished with this one by mid-October ...

and another birthday ..

Happy Birthday, Nevada!  

I hope she's having a wonderful day!

Happy Birthday!!

Today is my OD's birthday.  I remember the day.  I spent the day with my mother.  We went shopping at Toys R Us; I don't remember what I bought, if anything.

I am so proud of her -- she's completing her medical training (residency) in Buffalo, NY. Working 90+ hours a week.  She is amazing.

Happy Birthday!!

Next Project - The Mermaid Quilt

My YD's BFF from college is having a baby, a girl, and I'm going to make her a quilt, with mermaid colors.  Here are the fabrics for the quilt.

Here's the backing fabric.

I got 4 5/8 yards.  I figured 3 might not be enough and so I got the extra yard -- then the 5/8 was end of bolt so it was half price.

My husband and I went to see a movie tonight.  The Darkest Minds.  I recommend it.  Anyway, that constitutes a movie date (which is on my list #50).  The other thing that I discovered is that there is another Transformer movie coming out around Christmas.  That means I should be able to sell the DVDs. Yay!

August Goals/July Update

It's already August 4, but I'll set goals for this month anyway.

1 - 10,000 steps 5 days a week
2 - Work on Grinch quilt
3 - Start Christy's quilt

That's all I'm putting for this month.  I start a new job on Monday and don't know how I'll be feeling so I'm going low ...

My July goals were:

1. Clean the kitchen every night before bed.
2. More sewing
3. Less TV
4. Sell the stuff on ebay that we didn't sell at the yard sale (I'll take pictures and post them).
5. Finish Nate's quilt.

1 -- I did this pretty every day/night.  I'm going to stick with that one -- it doesn't take that long and makes me feel pretty good.

2 -- I didn't do a ton of sewing -- but of course that was a vague goal -- hard to say if it was more or less than the previous month.

3 -- Definitely did not meet this goal. Again, not measurable, but I think I may have watched more than I did in June.

4 -- I sold one item; there was no interest in the rest.  I'll wait until I think the timing is better. 
For instance, for the Transformers DVD, I'll wait until a movie comes out or is re-released or is closer to Christmas ...

5 -- Finished Nate's quit!!