A Baby Shower for Cassie

Cassie has accepted a new position with Jet Blue back in Salt Lake and so they will be moving back to Utah in a few weeks.  Her co-workers here only have a few days left with her so they wanted to have a baby shower while she is still here.  Today is the chosen day.

Jen drove up this morning and after a stop for some fabric, we arrive at the shower.  Everything looks oh so pretty and the food not only looks good but tastes divine.  I am hungry as well so it is not only delicious but needed as well.  After lunch, we play a quick game and then she is able to open her gifts.  She is spoiled by wonderful friends and tears seem close to the surface on occasion.

A wrap from Grandpa and me.

A diaper genie from Auntie

What other goodies can we find?

A helper -

The box in front of these three is a new stroller.  How awesome is that?

The ceremonial cutting of the cake

Family!  Such fun.  I am so very glad Jen and I had the opportunity to be a part of this.  Thanks for inviting us.

Extra Credit Class - Bonnie Hunter - Scrappy Bargello

Today is my extra credit class.  Woohoo!  I simply grabbed a bunch of solids that I had sitting around and cut them into strips.  I added some black and am hoping to pull a rainbow of sorts.  It could be a mess -- I guess I'll find out as I go.

The first thing I do is sew 36 strips together in a long panel and then sew the ends together to make a loop.  I am the first one finished so Bonnie takes it to the cutting board and uses my quilt for her demo.  She folds the panel in fourths, squares it up, and starts cutting 2 1/2" strips from it.

She then opens a seam on the first strip loop cut and lays it out.  She lines up the next loop so that it is one off, and opens the next seam so that she can lay it beside the first one and start the pattern.  This continues for all the loops that were cut.

Now to sew the long strips together.  What will I get?  Oh, cool!  It is absolutely vivid.

Everyone in class is full of oohs and aahs as I hold it up.  I LOVE all the other ladies units also, but this one definitely stands out.  We all think it reminds us of a hot air balloon.  I was hoping for more of an Amish look and so will perhaps have to make some adjustments, but do like the rainbow design.

The entire process is repeated and then the two panels are attached.  This quilt really goes quickly.  I KNOW that this project will not become a UFO --- it will be finished in January.

Another great day is in the books.  I told Allison that I was kinda sad for it to end and she remarked that I shouldn't be.  She said, "today was a great day, tomorrow will be another one."  Words to live by.  I will use these 4 days to carry me through for several months and keep my motivation levels up.  Keep on quilting girl --- year of the quilt begins in earnest now.

I cannot express enough thanks to all the ladies who impacted me this past week.  You took me through a tough time with your love and enthusiasm.  I will always be grateful.  A special thank you to Bonnie and Allison.  I hope to see you both again soon --- perhaps a trip with Allison to Moda?  One hopes.

Now -- home to my sweetie who has been totally abandoned this week.

Celtic Solstice Clue #6 - Bonnie Hunter Mystery Quilt - The Big Reveal

Well today Bonnie released the layout for the quilt.  I have taken a few minutes to put a few units on the design wall so that I have an idea of the pattern.  I think it is going to be absolutely beautiful.  I will post my progress on it with my monthly quilt updates from here on out.  Keep checking back and perhaps you will see it come together.

Beginning of Year Quilt Class - Bonnie Hunter - Smith Mountain Morning

It is day 3 and I have really been looking forward to this particular class.  I collected all year for this one and knew that I wanted to do it in green/brown instead of the original blue/brown.  I have been stockpiling greens and browns for quite awhile and have a good variety now.  Are we ready to work with tri-recs again so soon after Celtic Solstice?  I sure hope so, cos here we go.

I really have to put my head down and work today so that I can finish one of each block.  I take very little time to talk to anyone and just sew, sew, sew.  I don't even really talk with Allison or Bonnie much AND my camera is also ignored.  Between Bonnie and I, I have a few pictures to share though.

We learn techniques with the easy angle, companion angle, and tri-rec rulers.  It seems that no matter how many times I see these demos, I learn something new.  I also become more and more of a fan of them.  They make triangles just oh so easy.  Now that I have had an in person demo on the tri-recs, I know what I did wrong with my Celtic Solstice units and do not repeat the mistake.  My star points come out oh so lovely.

Once those are finished, we start on our log blocks and I LOVE THIS BLOCK.  It goes together before class is over and I have accomplished my goal.  However, part way through this block Bonnie asks for us to be quiet and shares with us her thoughts on how we look at ourselves.  With some personal issues going on this week -- it hits me hard and soon the tears are flowing down my check as well as hers.  Ladies - we all really do need to stop being so hard on ourselves.  I know I beat myself up over oh so  much until I cannot sleep or eat and my body is so full of stress that I cannot move.  Being here this week has not only been good for my obsession, but also for my soul.  Thank you Bonnie for your compassion and wisdom.  Also --- the hugs through tears.

Here are my finished blocks:  (a little blurry - sorry - I thought it was because I still had tears in my eyes)

Another day has come and gone.  I was asked if I wanted to return on Friday for another class that has some openings and after thinking about it all day -- I am going to.  Yay!  I have to pack up though as I will not be here for tomorrow's repeat of the mystery class.  Time to go home and relax a bit.  Will cut fabric tomorrow.  What an incredible way to spend New Years Day and the perfect way to set the tone for my whole year.  I am so glad that I have made this a tradition.  I will be back in 2015 and so will Allison and Bonnie.

OH OH OH --- and the reveal for Celtic Solstice came out today.  It is soooo pretty.  I hope I can start putting blocks together within the next couple of weeks.

2013 - Year in Review

This post wishes each of you a very Happy New Year and hopes that you, like us, are looking forward to another year of unexpected highs and lows.  Let us all hope there are more of the former than the latter.

It is time for a look back at 2013 --- Another year has flown by!  For us, it was a year of great changes and one surrounded by family.  I cannot ever share in words the joy I have felt with the memories we have made this year.  I can honestly say that I believe I KNOW each and every one of of my grandchildren.  With 12 of them (and another on the way), that is saying quite a bit.  We were also blessed to spend wonderful time with all of our children and our parents and siblings.  What more can one ask for in a year?  After looking at this, feel free to find the blog entries that match.

January:  We started out the year in spades.  I was able to reignite my love for quilting on New Years Day by taking a class the entire day.  It took me out of my comfort zone in colors and techniques and set the stage for the year to come.  Mister and I then were able to spend a wonderful week in the Caribbean visiting Puerto Rico, Saint Maarten, and Anguila.  It was absolute heaven and a wonderful way to start the year.

February:  The month began with us driving down to Temple for Jared's birthday and baptism.  We are so lucky to have been there for this major event.  The middle of the month found us in Hawaii for Mister's birthday.  We spent 9 days enjoying this beautiful state while visiting two different islands.  Mister accomplished his goal of visiting all 50 states with this trip - yay for him!

March:  Change came to us -- I was no longer employed and thus we put several travel plans on hold.  At the same time, Matt let us know that he would be leaving United in the fall and so some of our travel privileges would be lost.  We determined to devote the remaining travel this year to family so that we would have time with all in case finances prevented it in the future.  We also started to discover our own city again -- there is just so much to do here.  We ended the month down in Temple for Easter with Jen and her wonderful family.

April:  Art fairs, movies, and museums occupied our city excursions this month.  We were able to visit Austin to enjoy events with grandchildren.  I discovered my love for crafting again and worked on a ceramic project for Elena along with some sewing.  Mister, too, was busy creating and made me a beautiful quilt frame, allowing me to put a quilt on and start hand stitching it.

May:  The annual excursion to Montana for Elena, Malea, and Zyra's birthdays started out our month.  We were there for 8 days and upon our departure, we had two little charges with us.  Malea and Elena returned to Dallas with us for 8 days of pure joy.  I received my first vintage sewing machine as a birthday present this month and we were hooked.  I named her "Annie" in remembrance of the my aunt who instilled in me my love for sewing.  I started quilting in earnest and we ended the month at another major event for a grandchild -- Jon's ordination.

June:  I began this month traveling to Montana for Elena's dance recital.  What a grand time and oh my but it took me back so many years.  Mister and I then went to Wyoming for 5 days to help celebrate Ryan's birthday.  We returned home and made a trip down to Temple for Bekah's birthday.  Oh my but this time of year is full of grandchildren getting older.  We end the month by having Hyrum and Zyra at our house for 8 days.  Again --- we were overflowing with wonderful memories.

July:  The first of the month found us helping Scott and Cass move in with us for awhile so they could save some money and pay some bills.  We only had about 2 days and then had to hit the road for the family reunion in Wyoming.  We had 4 days filled with children and grandchildren.  Each time we are able to do this, I treasure the fact that I have all my "bairns" with me.  My heart is so full when this happens.  Upon our return, we explored Dallas a little more and discovered Cedar Ridge.  What a wonderful place.  Another trip down to Austin this month and we returned with Jon and Jake for 5 days followed by Bekah for 3 days.  We had such a good time with all 3 of them and I truly love the talks we have now that they are older.

August:  Where is this year going?  I made a quick trip up to Montana for Rhiana's birthday so that Elena and I could do a little surprise.  Our home was then blessed to have Jared come and stay for 6 days.  The rest of the month was spent sewing, sewing, sewing.  I discovered recycled shirt fabric and Mister bought me a featherweight sewing machine.  We ended the month down in Round Rock with Bekah and Jake's soccer tournament.

September:  Quilt classes started this month out in fine fashion.  I was able to take 2 of them and once again learned oh so much.  We made a quick trip up to Montana for some more time with family and then to Wyoming to help Amanda.  We had 5 wonderful days with the boys.  We spent the rest of the month discovering estate sales and Craigslist in detail.  We worked Grapefest for a friend and purchased a Wheeler and Wilson treadle.  Our collection is coming along nicely now.

October:  The first week we found a beautiful Memphis treadle at an estate sale and it made it's way home with us.  Rhiana was in need of some help, so we took the girls for several weeks.  We discovered full time parenthood again thoroughly enjoyed having them.  Our anniversary was spent in the town Mister proposed in and at the same spot for lunch.  Amazing that he could plan this and include two little ladies as well.  We took a trip down to Temple with Elena and Malea in tow for Jacob's birthday and finished the month returning the girls to Montana and spending Halloween and Hyrum's birthday with family.

November:   My passion for sewing took solid hold this month.  I could not seem to get enough and was out in the studio early each morning and well into the evenings.  We added another sewing machine - a Singer 306 and I finished several quilt tops.  I took a trip up to Mom's and while on my way found out that I get to be a grandmother again.  Cass and Scott are expecting next June.  Time to start looking at baby things again.  We hosted Thanksgiving at our home and it was filled to the brim for 3 days.  We cooked and shopped and sewed for hours.  I was in heaven.

December:  An ice storm hit Dallas the first of the month putting us in the house for 5 days straight.  It was even too cold to heat the studio so I worked in the office.  Celtic Solstice, the mystery quilt, started and I made 5,512 little pieces of fabric into units for it.  Bekah and Jen came up for 3 days of sewing and soccer --- something I will treasure forever.  Christmas was quiet this year with just us two as Scott and Cass spent the week in Utah.  I ended the year exactly as I started it --- in quilt classes.

Another great year is in the books.  It was a year filled with family and I will always be thankful for that.  It was a year of growth for Mister and I and we both found new or revived old interests to share together.  We eagerly look forward to 2014 and the ups and downs it will present to us.

Happy New Year all.

Mister and Lady

Happy New Year!

I have finished cutting my fabric and my sweetie has a wonderful cheese plate and a couple glasses of wine for us.  Happy New Year!

End of Year Quilt Classes - Bonnie Hunter - Roll Roll Cotton Boll

Tough decisions on color for this one.  I spent at least a couple of hours last night deciding on my color choices for today's Roll Roll Cotton Boll workshop.  I wound up still needing one fabric and so first thing this morning I stop at the fabric store to pick it up.  Fortunately, I left everything set up at Fabric Fanatics last night when I left, so I have a little time to play with this morning.

I arrive with enough time to get fabric out and the class begins.  Allison is here today and I am thrilled to see her.  It has been a few months since we have had a class together and I certainly do enjoy her experience and kindness.

First up today is 8 1/2" paper squares to string piece.  Lucky me, I already had strips galore to work with.  Let's get started.  Once the squares are finished, they are trimmed to fit the paper backing.  Don't they just look so fun?

Bonnie starts wandering through with her camera and I have gotten copies of the ones that included me.  What a sweetheart.


Next we take those beautiful squares and cut them into two triangles.  This makes me very nervous, but I managed to do it correctly.  I am having so much fun visiting with old acquaintances and new friends.  The morning absolutely flies by with tutorials on our rulers added in.  If you look at my fabrics below, you will see one in particular that has words all over it.  It was a treasure I discovered in a box of scraps that I picked up at an estate sale.  I have tried to put a few pieces of it in everything since then.  I LOVE it, but only had about 1/8 of a yard of it.  I think it was a sack of some sort in a previous life.

It is time to work on our second blocks.  Get those rulers girls and let's go.  We start with strips and check our seams to make sure we have that much sought after 1/4".  Yep -- moving on now.  Let's cut that strip up.

We put together some half square triangles in various sizes and are soon ready to play with colors and put a block together.  I hand Bonnie a handful of my units and cut squares and let her have fun creating my first block.  She did it yesterday and I wanted to continue the tradition.

I think she does a great job, but gets called away 3/4 of the way through it to help another student and I finish up.  Can you tell what I do wrong?

Fortunately for me, I catch the mistake and sew it together correctly.  Well, almost.  I flip one of the rectangles and have the green against the teal center.  Miss Allison spots it and I am sent back to my seat with seam ripper in hand.  Grrrr.  I get it fixed though and Miss Bonnie takes a pic again.  I feel like a star!

Here is Allison after she has shared her Lazy Sunday quilt with the class.  I have my Lazy Sunday top finished, but still need to quilt it.  I am motivated to do so though.  I have to run a few smaller quilts through this month first though both because I need them for gifts and more importantly I need them for the free motion quilting experience.  Once I have them finished, I will run Virginia Bound and then Lazy Sunday.  Hopefully I will have some idea of what I am doing when these are finished.  This is what happens when a hand quilter wants to let her domestic do some work --- AND when her sweetie gets her a machine to do it with.  Cross your fingers for my 306 and I.

What do you think of my block?  I am excited to put this one together as well.  I have a goal to do one large block a week and 6 of the string ones.  Perhaps in 6 months I will have this top together and ready to quilt.  I sure hope so.  2014 is the year of the quilt for me.  I AM going to finish soooo many UFO's.

What a fun day, but it always has to end.  Once again, I leave everything set up as I am back again tomorrow.  There is fabric back home waiting to be prepared for tomorrow -- time to hit the road.

Mister has been in the studio all day and when I arrive home, the first thing I see are the drawers to the Memphis treadle.  He has been working on them and they are beautiful.  I thought they were pretty before, but now they are absolutely glorious.  Look how those handles shine.

At home, Christmas boxes from Matt have arrived and Mister and I have a little fun opening them.  We have received a wonderful portable back massager (what quilter wouldn't want one of these sweet things?) and a foot massager.

Mister lets me try half of the foot massager before it is soon set up under his desk.  He is one happy camper.

I need to get to the studio and cut fabric.  Another class tomorrow.  No whining her though -- I am absolutely loving it.  Oh --- it is New Year's Eve --- I hope you all have a very Happy New Year and that all your wishes are met.  I have been told that the way you start the year will indicate how it is going to play out for you.  Me???  I will be quilting.