not always with thread

me quilting bento box

ok son and hubby wanted to take some pics of me quilting on my black and white bento box, it is almost done,, now just the quilting around the border.

and then bind it..

I enjoy soft quilting, no frame.. and I have been lucky enough not to have wrinkles or puckers..

Boy I can't wait until football season is OFFICIALLY started.. I quilt or do small hand projects while watching some "Smashmouth" anyone else enjoy the sport???

ok enough about football this is QUILT blog... hehe.. happy stitching, Amy

hooked on strings

 Hello, I am truly addicted, to strings and strips. I am loving  the idea and feeling of just mindless sewing strings to a back fabric.. So if ANYONE wants to donate strings or small strips,. please let me know.I want to make some small quilts for kids at abuse shelter.I am also a new member of HeartStrings group and they are really nice group.. and make some beautiful quilts.

I was amazed at how many blocks I could make out of a gallon bag of strings. wew and to think would have went to waste if I was the type to throw them out.. I am serious if anyone does not want to fool with their leftover strings and strips. please email me I will pay for postage.thanks so much.. Amy

I am not leaving,

When I posted my new blogsite,, I was not leaving, I like this one better, Nothing new right this second,, well my rotary cutter finally broke after 4 years!! getting a new one this morning,, Happy Stitching,,Amy

new blog

 Hello AGAIN.. here is the link to my new blog, I am keeping this one,, it is easier to navigate and use..http://notalwayswiththread.blogspot.com/

W.I.P. UFO's

OK I seen  a UFO. and knew I had to do something about it.. I bought this kit in Gillette Wyoming 2 years ago, cut the squares and got sidetracked, Now it is ready to be quilted

This other U.F.O  was intended for someone, then I changed my mind on the colors. it was started last summer,, now ready  to have mitered borders,, this week. will be ready for quilting.

I am not sure what magazine I found the pattern in, but it is called Pennsylvania Turnpike..

This next picture  is some string blocks, I was laying them out to see how I was going to put the quilt together.I told Cinny to go lay elsewhere.. and he had to lay far enough away to keep from getting swatted, but his back foot was touching,.. Luckily the person getting this quilt LOVES cat!!!

I also have another blog.. on blogger.com

 if anyone could help me fancy it please email me.. well that is a for now. I am also working on a scrappy bargello made from kids prints.will post later,, Happy Stitching!!!, Amy and NEW Heart Strings member,,and ADDICT!! will gladly accept any unwanted  strings..

quiltcrossover

Hello thanks for your comment. I tried to comment on yours with beautiful colors. But your page didn't have somewhere to comment.. do you have them off?? yes  I am a big fan of Bonnies

worked on Orange Crush, just haven't put it together yet.. things came up, and now other projects  take up my time. Happy Stitching

I forgot a picture

OOPS!! I forgot a picture of one of the nice motorcycles yesterday.. it was nice seeing them all come down the hill.. reminded me of Sturgis a few years ago.. one of the perks of living on the road,,, we are PAID TOURISTS!!!!

Things I am working on

 Whew !! been a very busy and productive week, I am working on gifts for Christmas. It is a little hard to get in the frame of mind when the seasons don't change much here.

and it is sad the only quilt store close to me doesnt have Christmas or seasonal fabric. And they say because people come out here for the winter so they feel they would not want to see things reminding them of winter,, DOH!!! anyways enough complaining...here is a picture of my daughters quilt. the pattern doesn't call for it to be big enough , so I laid it on the floor to figure how many more blocks.. it's a visual thing,,, and of course her cat the tiger one ,, and my lovey dovey cinnamon had to get on it...

Here is a picture of a table runner from Jingle Jolly patterns. I made it last year and was hand quilting it,, but it wasn't flat like I would prefer.. so lastnight I ripped stitches out,, and going to quilt in frame.

Another thing,, I stayed up till 2 am. sorting things in sewing room,, found another pair of scissors, and some blocks from quilt I changed my mind on,, decided to put them together and give away as gift

and found some muslin,, using that for string quilt instead of dryer sheets. Thay way when I make it I won't have to use batting just 3 layers of fabric should be good for lap quilt..

OH! before I forget here is  a block of strings

I have an aunt who loves red,white,and blue, so doing string blocks in her colors. and make it lap size.

And here is a pineapple blossom, done in kids prints,, I am donating this to local womens shelter,now, I have to make one for a boy.

one more thing, yesterday while I was driving to town, the police stopped us at a stoplight and let over 200 motorcycles come down from 60 ,, Show Low. it was awesome,, here they were riding for American Legion.. I love our VETS!!! when my husband had surgery in Jan,, they gave him a nice afghan.. anyone make quilts for them? I am thinking of making one  or so to donate to our vets when in the hospital,,, thanks for stopping by Happy Stitching, Amy

 well thanks for looking and hope to post some pics after I get these  quilted.

dryer sheets

No I am not all the way crazy... but I keep a ice cream bucket near my  rotary cutter and mat, well it is overflowing  with strings. And Monday was laundry day for me.. so I was collecting dryer sheets. used ones. I am thinking if I use up these strings,, maybe I can make a smaller dent in my scraps.. they are ever growing. I have a question though.. when people use paper they rip it off when done...

 when they use muslin or other fabric they leave it on... what about the dryer sheets???

          they smell good, but can they be left on? anyone ever use them ? now the fun part, picking colors? or random scrappy? I am thinking scrappy. and can do more organized later after I pick some out of the bag for later.... wish me luck I will post some pics. please if anyone wants to swap strips please e-mail me ... I am on no buy for 6 months.. wish me luck!!!!

The Beat Goes On.

I really hope nobody thought I was singing Cher.. more like Sonny.Although, I like  Cher. I was just thinking of  a post someone had left a quilter I admire.I have used some of her patterns and posted the links here for others. To show other ways to use up our scraps, old clothes,our time, our money ( giggle). I can remember when my children were little. I sewed them some clothes.I sewed their doll's babies.Made curtains for their rooms,some of the fabric has been lucky enought to make it through my travels, before and after meeting Mr. Wonderful... thats a nother blogsite (hehe).. one of my daughters helped make Project Linus quilts and aquired some scraps, she decided to make a quilt for herself.  And of course, when we went to quilt stores she picked fat quarters here and there, her stepfather gave her a couple of his work bandanas. I have another daughter who likes to make fabric origami flowers. My mother in law makes scrub tops.And was also kind enough to make some when I was doing home nursing, and she has shared scraps. So I guess where I am going with this is when we make projects for family, friends,  strangers. and very last ourselves.Are we making a statement about our love for them, and our hobby?  and every piece of fabric we use has a thought, color, or story with it.I just had to buy OREO fabric why??? I love them and thought a child would like to see in an Eye spy quilt. Or why do I buy pinup  girls and flames fabric? because I know some men and women into that stuff. especially the construction workers.

the list could go on and on. but I would just like everyone to think of our hobby, families, and people we come into contact with. I am going to post some pictures ALL clothed!!!!

isn't this why we blog??? do we really blog to be hateful?? how many of us have shared patterns?? done swaps? and sewn for countless hours????? sure as heck, was not me.  my husband will swear to it!!

I do not like to talk down on people, or make them feel inferior. but would like to leave some sort of mark on people I come into contact with , be either Internet, or person.

 and this quilt,, I am not sure how many different fabrics are in there or how many squares either but she can count them when she is laying under it.... I don't think she or her sisters would like me posting pics of when they wore dresses.. I will save them for their myspace...but does everything scrappy or controlled scrappy or neat and out the box really matter? I want my quilts  to be of me. my friends,family  and anyone who snuggles under a quilt...  thanks for reading, Amy,, Happy Stitching!!

http://quiltville.blogspot.com/

Groggy Kitty

Well here in this town they have a travelling vet,. he comes up from the Valley. and they did surgery on Cinnamon and he was ready to go home round 1 pm. he is still groggy

we won't know what he had until biopsy  report comes back.. I promised him when I dropped him off I would NOT sew until he was able to sit in there with me.

But I just wanted to report Cinnamon is FINE.. and not going to like his lampshade collar tomorrow.. tonight he is way too groggy to try to lick the stitches..thanks for all the comments

happy stitching!!

ready to ship

 HAHA,, here is my crazy cat. I had received a packae from  a Pa. quilt shop and as soon I took the fabrics out to fondle them. the cat was in the dang box... 

 he has to go to vet today,Hopefully whatever is wrong is easy fix.. I don't want him going through alot, he is my sewing buddy... sorry for the no post with the cupcakes lastnight , the internet went a lil wacko.

I am also working on some embroidery work... of course CUPCAKES!!! and some felt cupcake pincushions.. I am crazy for CUPCAKES!!!

Cupcakes

Here are few of my cupcakes..

Me

Hello hows everyones' Friday? mine is awesome.. the pool was wet and cold.. NO sewing today. but I did some other stuff, if anyone is interested here is a pic of Me

and here is a picture of a quilt I bought at a local antique store... believe it has been loved and used.

and last but not least. this is my daughter that also does construction.You see those wind generators?? she climbs them. she is part monkey!!alternative power rocks!!!!!If you look close you can see she is 290' in the air on top of one... look at the one behind her... ROCK ON !!!!! 

P.S. she is over near Jackson Mn.. so if you pass through you might see her.. on one of them wind gens.THANK GOD for Construction workers!!!!

star pattern

 the star wall hanging is from Eleanor Burns, Star Log Cabin. I waited until books were 40-50% off at JOANNS.. I am thinking of making another in blues.. but not sure what to use as the stars,, yellow?. I did sew 3 blocks on scrappy strips around the world.. and  fused 3 cupcakes onto their background fabric.. I have not tried the zig zag on my new machine yet,, hope it works good.I will post again later,, have a great day and HAPPY STITCHING!!!!

My crazy trip

Hello, For those who know of me. I travel for hubbies and I work. We met 5 years ago in upstate NY. and in them 5 years we have been to over 18 diff. states for work,some we have been to more then once. and everywhere we go I seem to find the quilt store. Back when I started quilting again after a long break I started buying F/Q's and had them in a tote.. well I was on www.quiltville.com and thought how appropriate to make scrappy trip around the world. Because some of my fabrics have been in swaps, I have a swappy friend in Austrailia.A few months back I was in several swaps,and got a lot of strips. so here is a picture of my growing pile of 2.5" strips

and since my cats so much love my sewing room.. this is what I find when I go to sit down and start stitching,

he normally lays under my sewing maching,I just love my cats. wish me luck on the scrappy strips. If the cat has his way I would be stuck out here on puter instead of sewing.hmmm we'll see about that.

Cupcakes,Cupcakes,CUPCAKES

Ok,, I really love cupcakes.. the pretty swirled icing on top.. and you don't need a utensil to eat one.

and if you make mini cupcakes you can eat a few and still not feel guilty.. but I am making a bakers dozen of these sweet babies for christmas gifts

I found a book called Quilted Potpouri by Quilted Quickies in San Manuel Az.  inside are some small projects great for gifts. It is getting closer to Christmas time.. and I can't really do bed quilts this year. here is  a pic of the cupcake wallhanging.

I would like to make a whole quilt with cupcakes, but not right yet.

 Here is a block I am doing for my oldest daughter who loves black and orange.. it is from the book Square Deal.

this block is sorta catty wompas... needs to be ironed FO'SHO....but it makes 2 designs when you put them all together.. stars and pinwheels.

here is my oldest daughter with one of her RAT babies up until now she has given me 4 pet grandkids.. 1 cat, 1 dog, 2 rats..

thanks for taking a peek .. hope I haven't made anyone hungry.

new pictures

Ok, Here are the pictures of quilty S'more and my new fabrics..She  loves Alexander Henry and pin-up girls. 

It is no wonder we are not our ideal weight,, we both love OREO's on fabric and with milk

and then we decided on a panel from Michael Miller Fabrics. then last but not least we picked out one called crazy pumpkins,, from Moda.. for a wallhanging..

my new quilting friend

This is my new Quilting friend. I collect snowmen. and my daughter bought me this S'more while we were in Amish Country.

And how cute she is hand quilting. so for now she will go with me on my fabric shopping adventures and spend time with me in my sewing/quilting area.

my other 2 daughters are looking for another quilty friend for me, one that I can style her hair and change her clothes..girls,girls,girls,...

 She  has asked to pose on my new fabrics I bought yesterday since she helped me pick them out.. geeze so dang bossy.. I will post a picture of her on the fabrics after dinner. If only she would cook dinner for us.. HAHAHA....please excuse the craziness..but I need  quilty friend who understands the fabric addictionthat I can take with me to the quilt shop. Should I make her own blogspot????

Star quilt

Hello, Thanks for the nice comments. the star quilt is from Eleanor Burns star log cabin book,and the other quilt is from square deal. I am now working on a harvest themed wallhanging from Thimbleberries book. and going to try some applique for a cupcake one.I am trying to get a jump on Christmas gifts.Also, I have been to the 35th Ave Sew and Vac, and their selection of black and whites is AWESOME!!!! I bought so much.. with a swap in mind!!! so if anyone wants to swap some  please let me know.well I better get going for now talk later... HAPPY STITCHING.. Amy