Unclaimed Prize!

Why this post now? I recently hosted a giveaway for those who listen to my Podcast, TQP, follow me on Twitter and read my Blog. Here is the link to the Giveaway post. am posting the names of the two winners here. JRWork, please get in touch to claim your prize. I came to the realization that you may not follow me on "Twitter" and I am not able to track back from your comment on the blog.

I will use the "Random Generator" to draw another winner on Monday night, 09 June if I have not heard from the second winner. The "Kaleidoscope Smart-Plate" ruler will be up for grabs.

 

Ruler: commenter #5 - jrwork

 

Fabric: commenter #7 - Jackie

 

 

BTW, I have recorded a new Podcast, episode 51! It will be posted sometime Sunday. Stay tuned.

 

 

Until next time.........

 

 

 

Three For The Price...

Time seems to have gotten away from me the last couple of weeks. My work schedule has been horrendous! I have the past two weeks of my mobile podcasts not posted. So, I have decided to combine the previous episodes with this one. Therefore, this post will in fact cover two previously recorded podcasts, May 12 (#48) & 20th (#49), and todays, for the price of one. My post will contain a little of each of the two previous, what I can remember. So, if you get tired of listening, listen in chunks..one bite at the time. Just so you know, I ramble as usual.

My earlier episodes covered Daisy's UFO Challenge for her BD, receipt of my PS swap and my plans or NOT, summer post card swap being hosted by Sandi Colwell and receipt of my RR goody box. If my memory doesn't fail me, I also mentioned my quilt plans for my children. My youngest DD wants a red, black, grey and white quilt (RBWG),  the oldest DD wants a "modern" quilt, she eluded to my circle quilts and for my DS-I am making Majestic Mountains, inspired by this pattern by BH. I am continuing to collect fabrics for my QOV and RBWG quilt for my DD. Here is the progress of my DS's quilt:

DS's Quilt in progress

Celestial

Window Spots


The boys were mentioned in the earlier podcasts. They had there dental cleaning. Dogs have to have anesthesia for deep dental cleaning. I have not seen them this calm in a long while, especially Jodi! Life is calm under the residual influence of anesthesia. Gizmo will have an additional follow up related to an abnormal lab result. He will be tested for "Cushing's" disease. Nothing life threatening if he has it, just medication. They both seem to be doing just fine.

This now brings me to my current podcast!

Finally, My 50th Episode and Memorial Day to boot!! This calls for a giveaway. There will be FABRIC involved and ruler (Kaleidoscope Smart Plate). The giveaway will run through Saturday, 31 May. I will draw on Sunday. This will give all who listen a chance to participate. What you need to do is leave a comment on this post about your most challenging quilt and Tweet about the giveaway. Also, join in on the #MDSI! Hint: some of us started early.

"GIVEAWAY ITEMS"

I continue to promote Daisy's UFO 2014 Challenge! Remember, she will be giving away one of her quilts! So, with that stated, come join in the fun. Another giveaway to be on the look out for is from Pam, HTBAS Podcast. She will host her giveaway once Daisy's is complete.

My RR progress. I received my box from the person is assigned to mail to me on 15 May. The box sat it on my kitchen counter for about a week before I opened it. Once I did, it sat open on my longarm table a while. Once I looked through the box, my dilemma began. What do I do? Do I follow Daisy's guidelines and work on my own? Well today, I have completed my addition to the center square.  It did take four design decisions before I decided. Next up on my list for completion is the summer PC swap! I have my design, just have to put it to fabric. 

BTW, I am using my PS as leaders/enders while working on projects. This will be the only way to conquer those little tiny squares. Heaven help those who have actually made bedside quilts with these little things! At this point, whatever block arrangement will be sashed with something. Probably not a bedside quilt in my future using 1.5 inch squares. I don't have enough time on earth to do one. LOL! My progress:

Postage Stamps

Last week my DD and I went to see Divergent. I have loved listening to the first two books and have the third in my queue. The moving did well relating to the events in the book. It was very entertaining and have faces associated with names in the book seem to have made the movie more interesting to me! Other book excitement added to my listening queue is book 13 of the Women's Murder Club by James Patterson. I am a big fan of this series and have enjoyed every book. Can't wait to see what Lindsay Boxer gets into now.

Summer TV watching! Under the Dome airs 30 June, I believe and Outlander airs on Starz sometime this summer. Can't wait for these two show begin. Tell me, is it possible to be enamoured by the name "Jaimie" and facinated by the words Kilts, Dirks, and Sassenach?

I am currently listening to Book 4 of the Outlander series, "Drums of Autumn". Thanks to Pam of Hip To Be A Square podcast.

.

Until next time......

Quilting, Not So Much

Wearing multiple hats this week, I have been working longer than normal hours.  So, hence not so much quilting this past week. Well this is what I have accomplished this week.

My progress on "Boxy Stars" is coming along. I got this pattern from Bonnie Hunter's (BH) website. It is listed here under the free patterns tab. I am adding the sashing and corner stones. I have even sewn a few completed rows together. My focus this weekend is on completing this top! I am soooo close, it should not difficult to do.

 My goal for this weekend is to load my "String Geese" quilt top. I made this top using men's shirts purchased from Goodwill.  This pattern can also be found on BH's website. It is made using long strips.  A nice, simple no brainer top.

I am continuing to work on my hexies, one more to add to my stack. Just so you know, I haven't had the energy to do any stitching while waiting for the light. Not even to work on them at lunchtime. I have been working through lunch or at a meeting the entire week.

My previous post about the charity quilt that came home with me in February for me to complete....well

I received a phone call thanking me for my participation. I was told that they like to personally thank each person that sends in a quilt. I was also given a website to see where my quilt went. I was a little surprised that I was called.

Last but not least, I am continuing to cut my 1 1/2" squares for the swap. I am about halfway there!

I hope everyone enjoys this special weekend, however you may celebrate it!!!

Until next time.........

Embroidery ITH

UFO Challenge
  Daisy's Promo

Postage Stamp Swap
  Correction of Host name; Tina not Darla
  7 sets of 50 pairs by
  ease of equal cutting
  almost same fabrics for all

Boxy Stars
  sashing and corner stones

Hexie Progress
  slow and steady

ITH Embroidery
  Key Fobs - ok for tokens of thanks
    not for sale
still working on technique

The Littlest Thistle FAL

  Quarter #2 linky

  Pictures

Current listening pleasure
  Book #3 - Voyager by Diana Galbadon
























Until next time........

*Please forgive the "lip smacking bits" in the podcast. Work in progress....

2 1/4 Inch Girrrl

Longarm Comparison - I mention some differences between my top two choices.

     Gammill vs Handi Quilter.     

Hexie Update:

  My progress is slow and steady. I forgot how time consuming hand work is! 

Savannah Quilt Show

  Stash/tool enhancement: a few additions to my studio

                                 1-Kit, 1-Pattern, 2-Hand dyed Bundles

                                   

Daisy of "Very Lazy Daisy Quilts":

  *Binding size - I converted from 2 1/2 inch to 2 1/4 inch. I don't think I can go any lower. How low 
  can you go? 

   * UFO Challenge - Her promo 
 
   *Round Robin - Stay tuned. If you want to join us, send Daisy your email. Trust me, it will be fun!

FAL 2014:

  The Littlest Thistle (1st Qtr Linky) - I have entered three finished quilts. That gives me three chances
     to win. Why not join in?
  

Tanesha
  Fadom (Outlander blocks) - When are those appliques blocks be ready? A "fan" wants to know!

Goodreads: Audio Books

  Between Heaven and Texas (Marie Bostwick)
     Why can't seem to remeber the title

  Divergent (Recommend)-Love the book, now to see the movie!
  

  Voyager (3rd book, Outlander series)-Enjoying it so far! Why wouldn't I? Can't wait until the series 

     start.

Bonus:

BTW, I am playing with my embroidery module, "INTH Key Fobs". My current software is not supported by Windows 8. I have 3D, 6D is the current version. I didn't want to pay the $$$ for the new 

version. Soooo, after some research, I purchased a downloadable software version. The software is called "Embird". I will say, it has a learning curve associated with it. More to come on my work with Embird.

Until next time.......

The Sandy's are Running Together!!!

My Saturday started early!

My agenda:

  *Hairstylist appointment

  *Boys Vet appointment

  *Complete Squared Churndash top

Spring Post Card Swap

  

   I received my fabric post card this week. Thank you ddr Quilter. It features my house. I affectionately call it "AJ's House".

I finally, finally finished my CS quilt. Not quite bedside, but works for me. Jodi tested and approved!

Another finish to add to  "The Littlest Thistle FAL 2014" Qtr 1

Churndash WH. Curse you Jenny Doan and those quick quilt projects with bias edges!!! This quilt started out to be a nice twin size quilt. Now, I decided to make it a wall hanging instead. I JUST can't deal with those BIAS edges. Bad Bias

Boxy Stars leader and ender project. Not much progress. I need to cut more strips for my project.

My upcoming projects:

  *1.5 inch Charm Swap hosted by Darla, Scientific Quilter

  *Round Robin with Daisy of Very Lazy Daisy podcast

  *Summer post card swap, hosted by Sandy Colwell

EQ7 now has a MAC version. I downloaded it to my MAC Book Pro. I now, after all these years, decided to try and learn how to use EQ. Nonnie uses it a lot to design her blocks. She has inspired me to learn EQ for designing quilts. I have designed a "QOV" block/quilt, paper pieced version. There is one problem, the block is not printing with the block numbers nor has it printed the black stittching line.

Books:

Filler Up, by Renee Haddidan (longarm)

Between Heaven and Texas, by Marie Bostwick (currently listening)

Cress, by Marissa Meyer (Lunar Chronicles-completed)

Voyager, Diana Gabaldon (Outlander Series)

St Patty's Weekend Plans

As usual, I chat while mobile.

Celtic Solstice

  Binding and binding application discussion.

A quick update on my Hexie progress.

Mitered Crochet dishcloths found will on a Pinterest time suck adventure:

Quilting Feathers

  Practice

St. Patty's Weekend Giveaway!! Will it be a ruler or fabric? You guessed it!! It's four FQs. Perfect to add to your modern stash collection. Or, just simply to your stash!

The Littlest Thistle 1st QTR Finish:

Quiltfest Savannah

   Who's going??

Until next time.....

New to Me!

My chartiy quilt was mailed last week. If I wasn't such a, such a..can't think of a phrase, I would have taken a picture before I folded it to fit the box!! Dah! Never the less, here are some additional pictures.

 Quilted not yet bound

The pieced back

                                                           
Super secrect project: Fabric Post Card (FPC) Swap. The postcard was mailed the same day as the charity quilt. I hope my partner receives it soon! SORRY, no picture to see here. Maybe later.

My "Quilty" resolution update:
  One charity completed.
  QOV fabric collection started and a little extra. I have my eye on a kit for a one in Quilty magizine.

New stash from my LQS (Colonial Quilts)

   Plan my closet organization for my March day off. Collecting wire baskets for the shelfs.

Storage basket with blackboard plaque

I am participating in two UFO challenges for 2014! The first is being hosted by Daisy of "Very Lazy Daisy Podcast". She talks about it on her blog. BTW, there is a Flckr link as well. Go check it out! Second, the "2014 Finish Along". There is a button on my blog that will take you the information. Check that out too. I finished my second UFO quilt for this 1st quarter!. One more to go and I will have finished my goal for this quarter.  I am planning my binding for my 3rd UFO for the quarter and also for Celtic Solstice. I hope to have both complete by the end of March. At least, that's my goal as of today! That could change at any given time!! LOL!!

A new to me technique using Elmer's "Washable" Schoo Glue to attach bindings to finished quilt tops! I gave a quick run down during the podcast. If you need the skinny, I have added a YouTube snippet. The version I watched was about 28 minutes long. You can probably search for the longer version. A little about the process. It is a little more time consuming if your follow her instructions exactly. I do recommend that you do follow her instructions. I will say, this is my best binding in my quilting history!! I will be doing this more often. I hope to get a little quicker at the process. Just so ya know, this is not a fast process no matter how many quilts you do this way.

Elmer's Washable School Glue

                  Sharon Schamber Video

Here is a picture of the quilt I finished using this technique. It was quilted by check before Lady G came into the picture! It was either done at Aurora Quilt Shop in Manassas, VA while living in VA. Or, it was done at MSQC while living here in GA. Either way, it's a nice all over quilting design. BTW, this quilt goes in my done pile and part of the UFO Challenge for Daisy and The Littlest Thistle FAL. Here is a link to my QTR #1 pledge: three tops to finish

Front

Back

My longarm practice is still in the planning phase. I have a rough sketch of the whole cloth design I plan to use. I will now plan it out on graft paper. But, before I get to the quilting phase, I will be using some of the yardage for practice!. My FMQ practice will be designs I have seen by Angela Walters and Lynn Durbin. BTW, Lynn Durban has a new FM design on YouTube!

 I have titled my hexies as my "little engine that could" stitching. Do you remember that engine? It just kept chugging up that hill until it made it to the top! After that, it was downhill all the way! In hexie speak, the top of the hill would be having all the flower done and downhill would be attaching all of the flowers. That will be some time from now. Until then, I'll just keep chugging.

My Hexie "To Go" Box

Until next time...........
 

A Little Late!! (highlights)

Apology

 

* Listened to Tanesha's Podcast

  -artsy inspiration

  -journalling/sketching

  -Outlander collaboration

 

*Charity Quilt

  -Finished

  -sewn binding

  -ready to be mailed

 

Post Card Swap

  -Dbl secret

  -Tried something new

  -Hope swap partner will like

 

Hexagon progress

  -steady but slow progress

 

Longarm practice plan

  -blank canvas

  -lots of ideas

 

Until next time.......

 

*Found in draft format and posted

On the Radar

Belated Happy Valentine's!!!

Full Moon effects results "crazyness" in the medical field sometimes. IMHO

"Beatle Bag"

  -Abbylane Quilts

  -Designer grants permission to sell for profit! Note: finished products not pattern!

                                         My first attempt. 8-/
What it should look like!

On the Radar
  -Process person

  -Sewmammasew (Kennedy Bag)

  -Sew Sweetness (Aeroplane Bag)

  -Pam (HTBAS Podcast)

AJ Update

  -My youngest is coming

  -My boys missed me!

 -CS Update: 

  A third of the way quilted. I plan to complete quilting the top this weekend and start on the charity quilt below.

 -Charity quilt top (VLN)

Jamie Wallen (correction-not Walden)
  -Raising my LongArm table  
  -YouTube video

President's Day (#PDSI)
  I am making mine #PDSI weekend, because that's how I roll.

Additions to my assorted stash











Until next time............

Refreshed and Motivated!

Update:

Celtic Solstice is about 50% quilted and remains on the frame. I decided to quilt an all over design. It was becoming to time consuming figuring out what I wanted to quilt. Just to clarify, the quilt "does not speak" to you.

A snap shot of the Virginia Longarm Network (VLN) - Birds of a Feather 2014 weekend:

The Event Logo

A few pictures and brief descriptions! Bottom line, I had a great time this past weekend leaned lot and, met a host of talented people who enjoy quilting for others. 300 longarmers and wannabe's in one place and much fun was had by all.

The venue was excellent. It was held at the Founders Inn and Spa in Va Beach, VA. After talking with my sister, she informed me that they had a butt-kicking Sunday Brunch! Can't be too shabby if "MY" sister gave it praise. If you knew my sister, you would understand. If you are ever in the area, consider making you hotel plans there. A great place, great service and a good feel.!

My weekend was full of classes!

I had classes that focused ruler work taught by Karen Seivert and a little on whole cloth quilt design process. From what I was told, she has blue ribbon quilts in Houston and Road to California. Here is a picture of one of her pieces. You can find more about Karen here at The Nifty Needle.

Karen Seivert Design

The longarm "make it/take it" project was fun. The bag parts was stitched out for immediate play time. Not much talk time during that class. My FMQ ability, or lack there of, was obvious on that black tote bag. Our handout consisted of the directions to complete your tote. 

Another fun session was on how to keep and attract customers taught by Marie Tallman. I received great handouts during her class. The information received can be used when I get ready to start my own  business. Her website, Pinewater Quilting Company can be found here. She also has an Etsy and an Ebay store. 

Even though I have this blog, I enjoyed "Bloggin for Business" taught by Angela Walters!  In this class, there were a few blogging tips that I had not been exposed to and appreciated the information that was shared. Glad that I signed up for that one.

Angela Walters by her Quilt

I took, I think, a total of seven classes and enjoyed all of them. Plans for next year has alreadey started. It seems as if it will be the same time next year. If so, I will definitely be there.

Additions to my stash:

  

I met new friend, Dana. We sorta bonded while waiting to get off the plane in Norfolk. She is a military wife and a quilt shop owner! Who knew. Her shop is in Thomaston, GA. Here is a link to her shop here, Southern Stitches Quilt Shop.

Until next time......