Star Crazy for March

I almost didn't get the March blocks completed, but I was determined. I really like the fabrics that I have selected. The rust fabric isn't actually as dark as it looks in the photos, it might be a little too dark, but I am not starting over. I can't wait to see how all of the blocks are going to look when finished.

Great Way to Spend a Sunday Afternoon

Yesterday I had the best time with a group of my sewing friends. Pat from Silver Thimble had arranged a special applique class taught by Wanda Hizer. It was a great class. I have done some applique in the past, but have never taken a class. What I know I had picked up from books or from watching friends. I learned so much yesterday, Wanda is a great teacher. I

was totally amazed by her applique. You should have seen the bird's eyes that she did, they were minuscule, and I do mean minuscule. She taught several different techniques, needle turn, reverse applique, cut away, a starch technique, and a technique with glue. I liked the needle turn and the starch method. I can see myself using both of those techniques in the future.

Debbie and Pat were on their best behavior, working very hard on their hearts.

Becky is showing off her needle turned heart. It looked great! Of course after the class we had to head upstairs to Little Quilts and do some shopping. As you know from previous postings, I am on a fabric diet, I stuck to it. I bought some silk thread for applique, some needles, and some pre-printed quilt labels. No fabric came home with me yesterday.

I've been inspired!

As part of turning 50 I decided to do 50 new things or things I had not done in a long time. I have managed to do a few new things, but not many. I hope to change that this summer. I have been inspired to take a quilt class something I have not done in a very long time. After looking at Becky, over at the Quilting Booklady's blog and seeing this great quilt from Sweet Home, I knew that I had to sign up for it. I love it. It is paper piecing and that is something that I want to get better at, I have done just a little but have never had a class in it. I can't wait to do this class, the instructor, Debbie Fry is wonderful and I know that I will learn lots from her.

National Goof Off Day!!!

It is National Goof Off Day! (who comes up with these crazy holidays?) Don't you wish you could goof off, I do,but unfortunately I can't, I have to work. If I could goof off today I would probably be on the sofa with a cup of hot chocolate reading a good book, or watching a movie, which I absolutely never do. I also enjoy a good walk in the woods, communing with nature so to speak. If the weather were nicer, I would probably be out on the deck just soaking up the sun, however winter has reared its ugly head. We actually had some snow flurries this morning, it doesn't matter that it is now spring, we will have a few more weeks of winter. What is your favorite way to goof off?

Friday night at Thimbles

Each month I look forward to Thimbles weekend, it is a wonderful chance to sew and visit with friends. Friday night the crowd was small, I think too many people had worn themselves out at shop hop during the day, but we still had a great time. There were some great quilts for show and tell. Sandra above) had a beautiful blue and yellow star quilt. I think it is an Eleanor Burns pattern.

Becky, from The Quilting Booklady, had two beautiful quilts that she had just gotten back from the quilter. The one above is Strawberry Pie a pattern from Silver Thimble Pattern Co. Becky did hers as a Blueberry Pie. The one below is also by Becky, the pattern is Autumn Ridge. I forget the book it is in. They were both beautiful.

I had purchased the kit for the month, but decided that it required too much brain power and I should probably just stick with simple straight sewing. I brought the fabrics from our last swap, it is a Bonnie Hunter quilt, Patchwork and Pinwheels. I got about half of the patchwork blocks sewn together. I would have done more, but I left some of my strips at home. Krisite was working on her yoyo's. They are looking great, don't know what she is going to do with them but they look good. Sarah was working on a Civil War Rail Fence that is beautiful.

I didn't sew on Saturday or go to shop hop, (I am on a fabric diet) Joe and I headed up to the cabin. I was nice to get a way for a day and relax. The weather was georgeous, very sunny and warm, a nice change after all of the wintery weather we have had. We went on a nature walk, saw some deer tracks and some bear sign. I even cleaned off the table on the porch, where we could eat dinner outside. It was a very relaxing weekend.

When Pigs Fly

If you know me, you know that I like pigs, especially flying pigs. Early last month I found this cute flannel fabric with flying pigs. When I saw it I knew that I had to have some, but what to do with flying pig fabric, make pj bottoms of course. Well things got busy and I put it aside until last weekend, yes I know that it is almost spring and too warm for flannel, but I made them anyway. I didn't really need any more pj's but I have never let that get in the way of purchasing more fabric.

I also managed to work on my Jelly Roll Sampler Quilt that I started last month. I don't think I ever took a picture of block #1, but here is block #2. I bought a Civil War Crossings Jelly Roll with a gift certificate that I received for Christmas, and I already had a neutral fabric to use, I just needed to purchase a border fabric.
I really am trying to use up some of my fabric. So far the blocks have been very simple and easy to do. I am promising myself no more BOM's. They can become addictive!!!!

Not one, but Two UFO's Finished

I am so excited, I finished not one but two quilts from my UFO list. The first one I finished was the Bonnie Hunter, Bricks and Stepping Stones, that I renamed Amazing Grace. I finished sewing t he binding on the second quilt, Glory Bound today. I love the way that it turned out. I could have named it Amazing Grace II because I lost some of the fabrics for it. I went into my stash and replaced the pieces that I had lost, then of course I found the ones I had lost. I think that I like it better with the fabrics from my stash than the original fabrics. It is definitely one of my favorite quilts.

Busy Week

This last week and a half has been so busy. I can't believe that it is already two weeks into March. Where is this year going? Work has been very busy, we did inventory last week, plus it was Read Across America Day and my mother in laws birthday. I can't believe that I planned inventory the same week as Read Across America. Wasn't thinking too clearly on that one. This week has also been busy, but in a fun way. Tuesday night I had my friends Becky and Pat over for a stitching evening. Kristi, Karen, and Gretchen couldn't mak it, maybe next month. We had a great time. I so enjoy getting together with good friends and talking and sewing. Becky was working on a scarf and Pat was working on a project that will be featured in a magazine later this fall. Way to go, Pat.

I was working on sewing down the binding on my Amazing Grace quilt. I am so pleased with the way it turned out. The only thing I have left to do is put the label on the back. This quilt is one of Bonnie Hunter's patterns that several of us did a trade on last summer. I have to admit that I didn't know if I would like it or not, but I love the way it turned out. I think I will use this for my TV watching quilt for a while.

Just made it

You know what they say about the best laid plans. I never have good luck when I try to plan in advance. My plan for last weekend was to visit my mom in Mississippi. I also planned on getting back to Atlanta in time to see the Bonnie Hunter trunk show at Tiny Stitches. While with my mom, plans were made that I would take her 1/2 way to Nashville to meet my niece who she was going to stay with for a while. I didn't mind at all but of course it put me off schedule. Needless to say I was late getting back into Atlanta. I rushed into Tiny Stitches at 5:15, the trunk show started at 4:00. I can say that I saw the last 10 minutes of it. I saw a couple of wonderful quilts. I am sure that there were many more. I was lucky in that I was able to get the last copy of Bonnie's new book Leaders and Enders, I even managed to talk to her for a few minutes. She is a wonderful person very warm and friendly. I haven't even had time to really look at the book, I am saving it for when I can sit down and actually enjoy it.

It was good to see my mom and other family members, I hadn't been back since Christmas, so I was overdue for a trip. I even got to continue my birthday celebration with more presents. My aunt gave me a beautiful pearl necklace, and my mom gave me a blender (that I had requested) and a beautiful pajama and robe set. I worry about my mom, she doesn't seem to be handling the death of my dad well. It has been over a year and she is still very depressed. I wish I could make it better for her, but I can't. I hope she will feel better after this visit with her granddaughter and her three kids.

Bonnie answering a question from the audience.