Well ... It has been a while since I have posted again ! Some Day I'm ..... Going to write in here every day ! lol

I have been busy trying to get caught up on all the things I have started in the past few months. I finally have the New York Beauty blocks all pieced and a border put on. I like the way it turned out. Now I just have to decide how I want to quilt it. One of my friends at work keeps telling me how nice it would look on the end of her sleigh bed. That's probably where it will end up if I can part with it ! 

I started a new BOM yesterday since I finally finished the NYB. It is called Buttons 'N' Blooms . You can see it at appleblossomquilts.com  You have to sign up for their newsletter to get the monthly installments. I love the design and it is my first attempt at applique. I am doing it with fusiable web and the machine applique. I really like how the first block turned out. Just need to find a few buttons to embellish the tabs.

The most exciting thing to happen in the last few weeks goes along with this next block! I entered 4 blocks at my local Walmart for the block challenge. Was very unsure how they would do as there was some very good compatition there. But I WON !!!!!  This is the block that was chosen. Not my favorite and I am still not sure if I like my color choices but I guess they did. So now it is off to the national compatition. I don't expect to win anything there but it is nice to know it made it !

I have all of my other BOM's done for the month except Lillebett's Garden. I am STILL waiting for some fabric I ordered and do not really want to order from somewhere else. I ordered over a month ago now and have tried to contact them with no success. One more week and then I will decide what to do.

I washed and ironed 12 FQ's tonight so tomorrow I can start making some basket blocks for the Basket Case BOM that some are doing on Block Central. I can't wait to get started and see how my fabric choices work. I had made one basket block for the Walmart challenge and had fun doing it. I want to do these blocks for a quilt to enter in a show next spring. I figure it will take me that long to get it done ! lol

Well ... enough for tonight .

Smiles

Maria

My Grandson Dominic who lives with me. I can't believe he is 8 years old already. Him and his dad ( my son ) live with me. He had 3 grandmas here tonight. Grandma ( me ) Great Grandma ( hubbys mom ) amd great Great Grandma Sophi ( Great Grandma's mom.Also present was his grandpa  ( my hubby ) and Aunt Bridget ( my Daughter) and her boyfriend. All in all it was a nice night . I guess that hopefully makes up for never hearing from his real mom even on his birthday. I makes me sad and I just can't understand how she can just ignore her own child  We have not seen or heard form her in almost a year now.

Needless to say it was a no sewing night . Had to clear everything off the table and stash it away somewhere out of sight so we could eat !!  

Well it is almost 10 now and the house has finally quieted down. Time for me to get to bed !

Nitie nite All !

Smiles

Maria

Today I did get a little sewing done. Started piecing the strips together for my jacket. Got enough done for one front panel. Also did some digging through my stash and found some things I knew I would never use and listed them on Ebay. Every little bit will help now.

Tomorrow is my grandson's birthday so it will be a no sewing night. He says he wants spagetti, garlic bread and Birthday cake for dinner so I guess I will be kinda busy  I can't believe he will be 8 yrs old tomorrow. seems like he was just a baby not so long ago.! they grow up too fast.

Well ... I'm off to bed now.

Nitie nite All !

Smiles

Maria

Fri night I went to "Sit n Sew " and we started cutting out the fabric for our Raggy Jackets.I really think the denims and hpmespun I chose are going to work well. Had a good time with everyone there. Took my New York Beauty blocks along for show and tell and everyone just loved them.Sure made me feel good  I ended up buying a book to make an applique butterfly quilt. I'm not big on applique but while visiting a LQS I saw an interesting way to do it and these patterns should work . Have it on my To Do list now.

Today was a get housework done day and then I had to take my new cutting mat back to Joann's.  It was cracking on the surface and peeling on the edges and I have only had it for a little over a month !  I always keep it flat on the table or hanging on it's hook so it was not something I did to it. They just replaced it and hopefully it won't happen to this one. While I was there I picked some nippers for doing the jacket ( 30% Off ! )  and of course I had to look at fabric. I needed a few pieces for a block swap I am going to be doing and found the just right ones  Now hopefully tomorrow will be a sewing day!

Nitie nite All !

Smiles

Maria

Well  ... I think today has been the worst day I have had in a long long time.   No matter how much I hate doing it every day I go to work. Today I was told that the job I do is going to be sent out of house and I will no longer have a job. I will not know the final details until the end of March which will make the next 4 weeks torture.I have been at this job for 10 yrs and have no idea what I will do now.And when I think of all the benifets I will be loosing ..... Grrrrrrrrr .... 6 weeks of paid time off! Down the drain!  I am seperated and live on my own income with very little help from my son who lives with me. So ... That's it ! I wait ! I pray that everything will work out !

On a good quilty note ..... I got my blocks for the Walmart Challenge turned in today !  Hopefully I will get $25 out of that. Not much but every little bit will help !

Well I better get to bed and try to get some sleep although I have a funny feeling that will be easier said than done!

Nitie Nite All !

A Not Smiling,

Maria

Well I did get to do some sewing again tonight. Made another block for the Walmart Challenge. I wish I could post them but that will have to wait til some time in March. I have been just doing pieced blocks but they have been quite challenging as they have lots of points and such to match so it takes ma a while just to get one done. It is very satisfying though to do the final pressing and see everything all lined up prit-near-perfect!  and the right size even! I have finally got my new machine figured out as to how to have it set up to get the correct size!

Now that I finally got my Raggy Jacket pattern I also took the time to read through it to make sure I was going to have enough denim to make it. Hmmmmmmmm ... I think I have enough to make 2 or 3 !  

Well .. off to bed for me.

Nitie Nite all !

Smiles

Maria

Ok ... Just a few quick notes here tomight . It is already 10:30 pm and i have to be up by 5 to get to work ! YUCK !

Had today of for Presidents Day so I did some shop hopping and found my FQ for the table topper swap. The pattern for my Raggy Jacket finally came in so I went and picked that up. Also stopped at the thrift store and found a few more denim dresses to cut up for the jacket and then I want to try another purse. Then to Walmart to pick up a few more fabrics for the challenge blocks I am doing. Finished another one tonight and I just love the way it turned out. I think that's it for now !

Nitie Nite all !

Smiles

Maria

Well .. no sewing for me today ! I spent most of the day surfing online quilt shops looking for the best prices on the Michael Miller Fairy Frost fabrics. I guess thats part of quilting ... Right ?!?!? lol 

My eyes are burning and my butt is sore so I am off to bed. Need to rest as I have tomorrow of and I will be doing some real shop hopping. 

Nitie nite !

Smiles

Maria

Well ... I guess photobucket does not work here !

Worked on making this purse off and on all day. Took me a little longer since I have never done anything like this before and I wanted to make sure I got it all right . Now I want to try one in denim !

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What a cold and blustery day today ! THe temp barley made it above 0 here today and we had winds at 30 mph or more this afternoon making the windchill at least -30 ! Brrrrrrrrr. The forcast for the rest of the weekend is not much better. It is going to be a stay at home weekend for me. I hate the cold.  Tomorrow will be a good day to make some chicken dumpling soup and bake some bread. In between sewing that is  

 I started cutting out pieces for a purse I want to make this weekend. It took me almost 2 hrs of digging through my stash and some helpful suggestions from my son's girlfriend before I made the choices on the fabric. we picked out 3 different palettes and if I like the first one I will make the one that Emily picked out for her. Have to see how this first one goes. It seems simple enough but knowing me it could get messy !   I will let you all know how it goes !

Well off to bed for me!

Smiles

Maria

I am such a BAD Blogger ! I can't believe I have not posted for over a month !

Let's see if I can get caught up here. lol  I finished up my VSP swap gifts in plenty of time to be sent out . I made a crazy patch heart wallhanging and a very bright pink flamingo sewing caddy for my secret pal. The sewing caddy was fun to make as I had never done that before. I have enough fabric left over to make myself one some day !  I am mad at myself though because I forgot to take pics of them before I sent them off.

The 2nd of Feb. found me at my first quilting class. It was for a table runner. The class was small but nice. I had never done anything like that before and I'm glad I did.

By then it was BOM and Block Party Suprise time so I had those blocks to make.

Then along came the New York Beauty blocks ! Oh My ! I just couldn't resist. I did 8 of the 10 blocks and have them almost pieced together.

Somewhere in there I took some time to work on my son's quilt that I had promised him for christmas. almost have 1/2 of those blocks done now. It is a simple pattern and I have everything pre-cut so it is easy to just work on for a while and then put aside when something extra comes along.

Now I am being tempted to do some basket blocks. I think I will just make a few for a table runner. I want to use the beautiful Fairy Frost fabric I got from my VSP for Valentines day. I have told myself I can't start that until I get the NYB block hanging done!

I guess I have been busy ! Today was a nasty day here weather wise. I believe we hav gotten 8" of snow since this morning and it is very windy and drifting. I left work early so as not to get stranded and spent the day working on the blocks I want to enter in the Walmart Challenge. I got 2 blocks done and am very proud that they both came out exactly 12 1/2" and are actually square ! lol One I really like but the other I wish I had used a different fabric. I just may redo it. I still have one more I would like to make.

Next week I will be starting my Raggy Jacket at the monthly "Sit n Sew " I am making it out of denim so I have been hitting the thrift shops gathering all kinds of denim dresses. Wow ! There is a lot of very usable fabric in one dress and I have found several different kinds as it is a scrappy thing. Can't wait to get started on that. Something totally different than quilting but i think I will like the challange.

Ok .... now that I have written a book I think I am caught upand I WILL post more often.

Smiles

Maria

Had a very busy but good weekend here. Went to the Joanns sale sat. morning and got a whole load of goodies all for 50% off ! What fun. I stocked up on thread and batting. Bought a larger cutting mat. New scissors. ( made sure to tell Dominic they were not to be touched by him !   Also picked up some fabric to finish up some of the UFO's I have here. I spet TOO much but when I think of what I would have spent paying full price it is worth it.

After shopping I finished up 2 Crazy Quilt stockings for late Christmas gifts for some friends I went to see today.Do to schedules we were not able to get together til today to celebrate!

Now this coming week I have to finish up my Secret Pal gifts and get that ready to go. I have everything I need now to get them done. I hope !  

Off to bed now as it is going to be a very busy week at work again with more overtime   Nice paycheck,  But less time to sew.  Grrrrrrr

Smiles

Maria

Ack !!! No sewing tonight  Just did some WAY overdue housework. helped the grandson with his homework and before I knew it it is time for bed ! Maybe tomorrow !

Smiles

Maria

Found a cute Crazy Quilt stocking pattern on the net and since I had picked up some after christmas sale fabric and still had it sittin out I decided to give it a try. It was a paper pieced pattern and went together fast. Think I will make a few more before I put it all away.

Smiles

Maria

What a nice weekend. Nothing pressing to do. Nowere I had to be. Sat I spent the day sewing. Worked on a new idea for my Valentine Secret Pal. Needed some metallic gold thread for that project so I had to make a trip to the LQS. Was nice to just go in and brouse for a bit. The lady there was very helpful with the thread as I have never used it before and was full of questions. I also found a pattern for another small thing I wanted to make so I had to get that too  

Back home again I started with the thread. It took a little time and a few adjustments on the machine but I am happy with the results so far. I also figured out how to program the alphabet and put different stitches together.

Now that names have been drawn ( I stayed up til midnight last night to find out who I got !! )  and I know who I have I was able to order fabric for the pattern I bought. Thanks to the FabShopHop I was able to find it right away!  I can't wait to get it so I can get started. I think it will be fun as it is something totally different from quilting.

Today was a quite day.  The boys went ice fishing all day so I had the house to myself! That doesn't happen much lately. Did a little house work and napped for a bit. ( had to make up for last night ) Did a little sewing tonight. Tried my hand at the log cabin block for the first time. Don't know why I have never done it before. It is fun to do.

Well ... hope everyone had a little time to get some quilting done this weekend.

Smiles

Maria

Got a little sewing done today. Made the first block in the Block Centrel BOM " Nine Patch Nirvana "  here are my fabrics and the first block. It is going to be a bright quilt but I am not buying fabric ! Have to use what I have here

Smiles

Maria

Another day gone by. They sure seem to go fast.

Had to run to the shop where I got my new machine today after work. Needed more bobbins already! I have only had the machine since christmas. so I had to look around and drool over all the wonderful fabric and other goodies. I was a good girl and only bought my bobbins!  I noticed they had a sign up for something they call "Sit n Sew" once a month. I think I may give it a try so I will have a chance to meet some of the local quilters in the area. Since I am fairly new to quilting I really don't know anyone who does it around here. This is my chance to find out.

Was all excited taking my chili to work today only to find out the cookoff had been postponed til next week  I was off yesterday so didn't know about it. Well 2 other people had also brought some in so we all pigged out on chili all day til it was all gone and now I get to make more for next week ! lol

Didn't get much sewing done today. Just took time to try a few of the embroidery stitches out that I may use in a future project. I am working on ideas for the Block Central " Valentine Secret Pal Swap "

Also want to say thanks for the nice comments on the pics of my work I posted yesterday.  

Going to make sure I write in here EVERY DAY !! lol

I can't believe I have not made a new entry here for almost a week. Bad Maria!   Well .... I have been busy.  I did 2 mystery quilts over the weekend. The first show below was done sat. It was so fun and easy. I even learned a new way to do these stars. I want to finish it with some embroidery in the stars and the machine quilt.My Grandson Dominic is my offical quilt holder for small quilts.

This one was done on Sunday. It is called " Gems in the Ruff "  I love the bright colors. Although it was rather a trial to do it was fun. I finished peicing the top on monday. I will finish it with a 2" black border and the prairie points made with the leftover colored fabric.

Today I worked on my blocks for the Planetpatchwork 2006 Bom. These are the Jan. and Dec. blocks.

I have decided that this year I will not make anything that I have to go out and buy fabric for. Sooooo ... if you see some wierd combinations along the way you will know why ! 

Well ... offto put mu chili in the fridge. We are having a chili cookoff at work tomorrow and this will be the first time I have made any. It always amazes me how one small pot of chili grows into my biggest kettle !! lol

Smiles

Maria