Organizing

My sewing room won't win any awards, but it sure does look better.  This bookcase has three shelves and I donated two shelves worth of books to the library to make room for fabric.   It was painful as they were mostly quilting and cook books.   I have more fabric than I thought, some that I didn't remember at all.   There really isn't any special organization, just about a yard and over pieces here.   This is folded over a 6.5 by 24 ruler. 

These shelves are pieces bigger than a fat quarter but around a half yard or so.  These were folded over a ruler 4.5 inches wide.  Also, there are two boxes about 8 x 13 size, one filled with fat quarters, and the other with long quarters.

This is scraps that I had organized previously by colors there are quite a few.

And even more scraps.   There are going to be quite a few more when I get back to my RRCB and all those string blocks.   I'm thinking that for Valentine's and my birthday maybe I'll get an accuquilt go and make some scrappy quilts.   I know some people love to have scraps, but these have multiplied and are stressing me out, lol.   I also have a box of scraps about 11 x 10 x 17, the kind for reams of paper, and it is almost full.   I am still not completely organized, but it is so much better.   I think that I figured out my problem.   About a year ago I got a new canister vacuum cleaner and the only place I could think of to keep it was in my sewing room closet.  I could no longer get to things and it became more and more out of control.   I cleaned my bedroom closet and made room for the vac and I hope that it won't get in that state again.   I have confidence, lol.   Also, when cleaning my bedroom closet I found a purse that looks quite nice and I don't even remember buying it.   Cleaning, it's a good thing.

Fourth Finish Landon's Quilt

Landon's quilt is finished and we saw their family at church Sunday, so he is out of the hospital.

Cecilia Marie's Quilt Done

Cecilia's is ready in time for the shower tomorrow.  She isn't due until March, but I don't get to see that branch of the family very often so it will be nice to delver it in person.

The back isn't super girly, but I was with Marcy my DGDIL and she assured me that she thought the plaid was cozy.  I added the panel down the center with pink angel bears to make it more girly, and as Marcy said, I think it is cozy.   It is from another flannel sheet set that was on sale at Target.  The twin top sheet was enough for this quilt and baby Landon's too.  His is basted and ready to quilt so it will be done soon.   His father had told Marcy that they expected to be home from the hospital yesterday, but now they are hoping for today.  Poor little guy.  I'm sure his parents must be stressed and exhausted.

It's a little hard to put everything that I would like to on the label with the embroidery machine, but hopefully this will suffice.

I Tried But I Couldn't Do It

Maybe someone can add just one, but not me.   Blogger wanted this picture at the top of my previous post and I wanted it at the bottom so we compromised, I am doing two in one day, lol.   I wanted to add this as my grandson Caleb has a girlfriend named Gabby who seems to be quite an artist.   I don't know if she made this like a quilt on purpose, but I think that if she were a quilter she would be a darn good one.   Can't you just see this in fabric.  I can too, but since I am scared of applique I'll just have to continue to imagine it.     P.S.   Sorry about the gigantic magnetized pencil holder thingy holding it to my refrigerator.

Chinese New Year And Funny but Cute

We have made friends with the owner of the Chinese Restaurant in town and a couple of weeks ago were given an invitation for lunch on Feb. 3rd, Chinese New Year.  I read up a little bit on the internet and it said that it was customary to bring oranges and a gift, also red was a good color.   We put on our red shirts, and had a nice dinner there with my daughter, her son David, and my granddaughter-in-law, Marcy and the baby.   I ordered an embroidery pattern from Embroidery Library and I thought it came out very well.  I stitched it on a fancy felt and Emily seemed very happy with it.  Marcy also made Emily and her daughters flower clips for their hair.   Marcy is starting a small home business making the clips and they are really cute.   Her website is:  http://kenziesclippies.blogspot.com/   We also brought a bowl of oranges of course.  Hopefully, we didn't commit any serious cultural errors.   We got to sample several new Chinese treats including a soup with long life noodles, chicken neck bones and boiled eggs.   We really enjoy our friendship with Emily, but haven't really met her husband.   He stays in the kitchen and cooks, she says that he doesn't speak English.  

Speaking of staying in the kitchen cooking.  This is my 17 year old grandson Caleb, another of my daughter's sons, she has five.   He has a job cooking and I stole this picture off of one of his friend's facebook.   I thought it was cute and funny.       HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

 

Landon's Quilt

We found out yesterday that Baby Landon has been in the hospital for two weeks.  His simple hernia operation had complications, and he will hopefully be home tomorrow.   These two little quilts, this one and the one for my new great-grandbaby are 40" x 50".  Hope Landon's parents like cars.

None of the Above?

In my last post I had wondered what I would work on next, but none of my guesses were correct.   I found out that an acquaintances new baby was having surgery, not serious but he's only a month old, and my granddaughter is having a baby shower this Saturday.   Seemed like maybe I needed two baby quilts quickly.  I have one top cut out, and the other top I finished this morning.  The one above is for my granddaughter's new baby to be born in March, a baby girl, and I took the picture upside down, sorry.   She doesn't live very close to us, so unfortunately I won't get to see this great grandbaby as often as I see Mackenzie, but I'm happy to be able to go to her shower.   We are going to go in my daughter's van, probably her, me, her daughter Tabitha, and my granddaughter-in-law, Marcy.   Mackenzie, the baby too, of course.   It should be a nice day.   The shower is at my son's x-wifes house that they shared before the divorce, so hopefully no one will be uncomfortable including me.   I know I'll get this quilt done by Friday evening, and I'm hoping to finish the other little boy quilt  too, it is also a quick and easy one, much like the one above.  I may do all of one color around each block instead of half blue and half green, just to make them a bit different.

First Quilt Finishes for 2011

Finally, two finishes.  This one is for my cousin Michelle, who is the age of my niece.   These were her wedding colors.

And this one is for Tina, my granddaughter-in-law's mother who is an expert on geneology and who did our family a very important favor and service.   Now, I am torn between finishing my Paintbox quilts, finishing my Iowa (Carolina) Christmas, or working on my RRCB.   I have a sneaky suspicion that I'll be finishing my Paintbox quilts.   I'm on a roll now for finishing projects. 

Flu and Misc.

We had planned the dinner for my DD and her new husband, but it wasn't to be at this time. The day they left for their honeymoon the flu started and then we were dropping like flies. DH and I had flu shots, thank goodness, as it was still very miserable and had hold of us for several days although the first day was the worst. We try not to go around where there is illness, but the baby (13 months) had it, and we were happy to help with her. Poor little thing, she had it the worst and the longest, even to the point of an emergency room visit, but she is doing well now, too.
I did manage to finally get Tina and Michelle's quilts basted after starting to feel better. Tina's was finished this morning. Now on to prep my machine and myself for the free motion quilting. I do enjoy it even if I am rather challenged, lol.



















I was very excited to win Kathy's giveaway from Kathy's Quilts. I had admired her Ho Ho Ho quilt and wallhanging and now I have one all cut out and even partially sewn and ready to go, and she did the work for me, lol. I had made a pumpkin table topper for fall and then gave it to the lady who has cut my hair for the past 4 years, and so I hope to get another table topper and my Ho Ho Ho wall hanging done in the near future to be ready for next year's fall and Christmas seasons. Isn't the Ho Ho Ho ornament that she sent with it adorable. There was also chocolate candy, but even sick we managed to finish that off.

Backs Ready for 2 Quilts

Flannel backs seemed right for these 2 quilts (Tina's and Michelle's) as they both live where the winter's get cold. A while back Penney's had a sale (don't they always) and I got a good deal on a set of twin sized flannel sheets. They feel very nice and soft, so the quilts should be comfy. The quilts should finish at 62 inches by 78 inches and I got a back from the top sheet and made a pieced back from the fitted sheet, and I still have the pillowcase for something else. I love it when I feel like I got a bargain.

















The colors are off in this picture, they are more like the picture above.













Now, I'm anxious to get basting and quilting, but alas, my DD is on her honeymoon, a cruise, and they are coming back Saturday and my DGDIL and I are having a reception, welcome home dinner for them on Sunday. I think I need to put the quilts aside and work on the dinner. The day my DD and her new husband left for their trip her youngest woke up with the flu (or at least flu symptoms). DGS and DGDIL and my great grandbaby are staying with the youngest while his mama is gone and now this morning DGS woke up with the flu. Oh oh, I hope it doesn't go any farther. I am kind of wondering if we will have to postpone our dinner, hope not.
Tina does genealogy, that is why the thank you quilt, she was able to go back farther in DH's family than anyone else had gotten, and Michelle is a teacher. I thought the wheat and the apple were appropriate.