Four Patch Log Cabin QOV

Last year I had the kids practice there sewing by making 4 patches. I saved all of them and made some Log Cabin blocks with those as the centers and then put this top together. I quilted it Monday - however - let me explain my Monday.... My middle Son had the flu over the weekend and on Monday was still pretty queasy and sick. So when he took a nap ( or was going to take a nap) I headed downstairs to quilt this. I had a great plan. I was going to do one of Suzanne Earleys Meandering Magic Star Ideas on it. I had practiced it on paper, I was ready to go.

So I put the quilt of the frame, loaded my thread and was ready to start, as my son came downstairs. He wanted to talk to me while I quilted. ( we do this a lot) However this time I must not have been as secure in my quilting plans, because as I finished the first row I noticed I had meandered the whole thing without leaving ANY room for the stars... Well because I am so adaptable - I changed my plan to an overall meander. And truthfully I think it fits the quilt well.

Lesson Number One: No more talking until the quilt is in motion!!!

The Good News - my son feels much better and went back to school yesterday, and today. This makes 5 quilts ready to go to Fort Carson!!

Choosing the designs

Before I left I spent the morning with the 5th grade picking out some designs for there quilts. I gave them a sheet of different pantos and let them choose. It was fun to see what they liked. A favorite Panto was Debs' Swirls by http://www.debrageissler.com/

They also named the quilts - so we will put those names on our labels... which is a good thing to remember - we probably need to get started on those as well. Time goes to fast when you are having fun.

After all the designs were chosen we layed all the tops out on the floor. They needed to vote on the one that gets to be sent to a quilt show. They voted, gave me all the papers and then the math teacher ( bless he heart) took them so that they could do a graphing project. I will find out tomorrow which one I will get quilting on first.

Have a great Sunday!!

Hola! Como Es?

I learned some Spanish this last week... Why you ask? Well - it was really really a tough week! I HAD to go to Cabo San Lucas, Mex and I had to lie on the beach, and I had to relax and goof off. It was really really tough I tell ya. The picture on the left is where we stayed - the Fiesta Americana Grande. Fiesta should have given in away, this is the nicest place. There were 4 pools and a couple of restaurants and Beach... lots and lots of Beach.

The right picture is my view from the Tiki hut. We saw Dolphins and Whales and birds. It was very very nice. It was 80deg and sunny and we snorkeled. Okay the snorkeling was cold - i think I lost my shiver after about 20 minutes!!

Got home last nite to cold, fog and a little bit of wind. But Spring has to be coming soon right? Suzanne.... is the spring coming your way Yet.....???

Bummer - some bozo keeps posting a link in my comments and I delete them - but they keep coming back.... so for the moment - until the bozos ( and that NOT the real word I want to use) goes away... I have to moderate the comments. I don't want anyone getting any yuccky pictures or anything... I am so bummed... dumb bozo...

String Quilt of Valor

I am now in quilting mode for the Quilts of Valor this week. Here is a String Quilt. I got Darlene Epps Pocket Guide to Freehanding. And in the Orange Book - Textures and Fillers there is a baptist fan..ish looking design. I thought it would look really neat on this quilt. And I think is does look neat. The curves kind of soften the hard lines...

So this quilt makes 4 completely ready to deliver... I don't count the binding - as I take them to school and one of the teachers binds them for me. She is really good at it - and she likes doing the binding... I just can not imgine liking that step. If you can't tell that is my least favorite part of quilting....

Hope everyone had a Happy Valentines day. We had school parties and are on the sugar letdown at the moment. It was snowing in the morning. There was an accident between a Fed Ex truck and a small car by my road. In the afternoon there was no snow left - just mud... what a day ;-)

You are Amazing!!

Well - I kind of had a shameless plug yesterday- but I didn't know if I was being greedy or not. I mean there are soldiers all over the country who are injured - what makes "my" soldiers more important? I was discussing this with my husband and he said - people donate because they want to, not because you guilt them into it. If their hearts are drawn to your shameless plug - then you will find out.

Oh My Gosh!!! I had class this morning and when I came home this afternoon and checked my emails I was in tears... literally - I heard from 6 people all wanting to send us a quilt or two or three to deliver. ( A total of 12 quilts) And a few had tops that they were going to finish and get to me. I am in Awe!!

So I went downstairs ( my office) I counted my quilts - after I get the rest of mine quilted I will have 9 that I have made. The 5th graders have a total of 9 already finished and will be quilted shortly. I heard that the High School group is making two. Then the High School CFS teacher is doing the coordination of a Community sew day - so maybe we will get a few from there.... I am so excited!!!

Do you think there is a real possibility that we could have 400 quilts to deliver in May? This would be so awesome and such a great surprise - but honestly I will be so excited to be able to deliver these quilts. The 5th grade is getting really excited as the time is getting closer.

Okay I am sure I am rambling - but I just wanted to let you know how excited I am, how humbled I am at the support for what our group is doing, and how lucky I am to know people like you all!!! (see the tears again- oh my you might think I was a basket case....)

Have a GREAT evening!

Quilts of Valor progress

Patty M sent me a quilt top that she had made that would make a perfect Quilt Of Valor. So I got it quilted....I had plans to get it done yesterday but a storm moved in and I was sort of afraid to turn my Long Arm on - we had power outages. So I finished it this morning - after spending the early morning with the horse shoer - boy that makes me wish for spring!!

I used my version of the Flurry of Angels from Jamie Wallen. I took his class at MQX last March and I just loved his style.

I have 4 more Quilts of Valor here to quilt that I have made, and then will start on the finished ones from our 5th grade class. They are picking quilting patterns this Friday. I am busily making backs for them.

This morning the Chaplain from the Fort called me. They have a new unit there called Warriors in Transition for the men and women that are rehabbing from both physical and emotional wounds. He was wondering if we would want to present our Quilts of Valor to some soldiers from that unit. ( OF COURSE) But I was thinking WOW - I would love to take one for every one in the unit, so I asked how many people were in the unit - maybe I could get enough quilts for all of them. He said 400 people..... Okay I can't get that many made between now and May..Bummer. We will have approximatley 20 quilts though. So that is a dent.

So if any of you are reading this and have ever been tempted to make a Quilt of Valor, have one in progress, or just needs quilting.... maybe this will motivate you to get it completly ready to deliver. I would love to take more quilts that what we have made to the Fort - and would be glad to deliver yours ( yes this is a shameless plug!!) You should also check out Http://www.qovf.org and you can request a Longarmer there - or request a destination. I know that soldiers all over the country would appreciate a hug from us!!

Okay - back to work!

1. Gratitudes for Today.
2. 1. I am back inside - the wind is picking up again.
3. 2. Finished one QOV
4. 3. No activities tonite - just a home nite for the whole family

Happy Boys

So my littlest guy got the superhero quilt and my middle son was quite upset with me! He informed me that he was NOT to old for superheros and Batman was his favorite character - and so were transformers.... well lucky me - On my last trip I had found some transformer fabric - and of course bought a yard, thinking I would do something with it!

Now Middle son presented me with the perfect opportunity. I made him a Transformers pillowcase - and all is happy with his world. Well it was happy - he told me that his birthday is coming up...... ( its in July - he is a little ahead of himself!)

And the other happy - my oldest son competed in the District Spelling Bee and placed in the top 5 so he advances to the State Competition. He is extremely happy, and I am extremely glad that I have cheat sheets to help him study!!

Now on to STASHBUSTING!!
I used 8 yards of fabrics this week for backings of Quilt of Valors - One quilt is on my Longarm, the other I being prepped to go on for Tuesday!! This makes me feel better about my stash acquistion last week ;-)

Have a happy week!!

Weekly Stashbusting Report ( well not really)

Okay - my whole goal was to reduce stash this year and put them into quilts that I could use, give away, or just look at.... and then this week appeared, and I got crazy!!

I went to Walmart to get extension cords for the tank heaters for the horses, as ours had decided to go out, and the horses don't take to drinking ice all that well. (wimps) In our walmart the fabric is just to the right of the hardware, so I went to browse. They had all these really pretty spring fabrics and they were on sale, and the snow and Ice is so depressing - so they jumped into my cart.

Now I know many don't buy Wally world fabrics - but I do. I check them well and wash them when I get home, and so far so good.

WalMart has been a big big help to us every year in our Quilt of Valor project, and the have helped donate clothes to some ladies in Denver that put snaps and zippers in them for returning rehabbing soldiers... so I believe in the good of the world.

Anyways - I also blame Mary ( lol) http://maryquilts.blogspot.com/ She is the head of the Heartstrings quilts, and I was talking about doing a strippy quilt and she said - Oh I have this one on my site. http://maryquilts.com/spiderweb-quilt So I went and looked and my husband said Oh you HAVE to make that one. Well that is like the kiss of death for me - now it HAS to be made. When Men endorse a quilt design I figure that there are a few soldiers who would agree.....

So - as I am walking thru the fabrics I think - oh these spring colors would make such a cute spiderweb quilt - and then - voila - the fabric just jumps in and I can not resist..... go figure!

I did save myself though - I got these Red and Blue fabrics too to add to my QOV stash - I amazingly use a lot of those colors thru the year. I have 3 kids who tell me they are going to come over to make quilts this summer, so I will be prepared....

It is Super Bowl day and my kids have friends over playing the Wii , counting down till super bowl starts... they are having fun, and they are entertaining themselves (and me but don't let them know that!)

Sewing on Saturday

See - this never happens - we usually have Basketball all day and then go grocery shopping. But Today we had one game, and was home by 11am... WOW

So - now that we are home, the boys are entertaining themselves playing Madden 08 on the Wii. It's really hard work, and it is preparing them for tomorrows superbowl.

I got to play last nite. I beat there Dad 19-0 . I KNOW it was beginners luck!! Once I figure out how it really works - they will probably skunk me!

I have finally finished the 1/4 square pieces for step 5, and am getting to assemble some blocks for the carolina Crossroads mystery. I have 5 completely done, 4 ready to put together, and am still squaring up pieces for the rest of them. This is progress!

I even have my cutting table somewhat organized so I can get the blocks together.

Have a Happy Saturday!

Gratitudes:

1. More Snow Meltage

2. Sunshine

3. A restful Saturday

4. Chocolate Chip cookies ( I keep hoping ds#3 will make some for me!!)

Thanks for all the comments on C's Superhero quilt. It is really fun to get comments ;-)