meanderings

Not even Thanksgiving yet, but the count-down to Christmas has begun: in the grocery, in the mall with decor, on the radio and on the television.  So that brings meanderings through the stores, and the advertisements and the cookbooks.    Meandering through the holidays - finishing up shopping, cleaning, cooking, decorating, visiting. 
The count-down to Christmas is also in the minds of folks who want quilts quilted for Christmas....a whole lot of quilts.  That means meanderings in thread, too...finding patterns to stitch that go along with the fabric chosen.  Stitches that look like little puzzle pieces, butterflies, flowers, little loops and curls, wind, flames, paw prints and bones, feathers - elegant and traditional, feathers - loopy and free. 

I like the word meanderings. It means random, indirect, twisty, winding and roundabout.   It sounds...enjoyable.  The word meanderings sounds much more relaxed and calm than others that I could choose to describe this time of year.  Other words like hectic, frenzied, frantic, chaotic,  and wild.   We won't go there, though, will we???  At any time we start to even think those negative words during this merry season, we will immediately calm ourselves by saying out loud:  "meanderings... calming, soothing meanderings.  Meandering with a purpose". 

Meandering on cloth is calming and soothing and relaxing to me.  Meandering through the stores, cookbooks, shopping, wrapping, parties, and anything else that needs to be done can be calm and relaxed also - it's in the attitude.   And I think it would be a  good way to go through the whole holiday season -- just meandering - meandering with a purpose!

Sewing machine parts and projects

A little set back recently...my pfaff sewing machine decided it wouldn't sew very fast.  And, it acted like it had bad gasoline in it - stopping and starting and sputtering.  What to do.  It seems like I always have the pedal to the metal, so to speak.  This was really slowing me down!  So, I wiggled the cord. That didn't work...it sewed, just not fast.  Not very productive.  And still sputtering.  Soooo, when sweetie came home, he checked the wiring of the foot pedal with his handy dandy ohm meter.  All clear on the electrical front, so he took it apart and there was a little connection that slide up and down the metal spoke and it had broken off.  (These are very technical terms, and I know what I'm talking about here.)  A VERY small piece of plastic with a smaller round metal connection centered in it had broken off.  This piece was the size of a large piece of pepper out of a grinder!  So I got out the super glue and hemostats so I wouldn't glue my finger to the little plastic thingy (again, technical terminology).  We let it dry over night, and lo and behold, the next day it still just sewed very slowly and still sputtered!  So I called a couple of Pfaff dealers, I checked online for a new foot pedal.  I even took my old foot pedal out shopping and tried it in a new machine.  Didn't work there any better than it did at home!  After all that, this is what I found:

That if you want a new foot pedal for your sewing machine be prepared to cough up some moolah to the tune of $135.  Do you suppose they know they have you over the barrel and will charge what they want to because they can?  Or do you think they really have figured out the cost of the foot pedal & passed along the true cost to me/us as a consumer?  I am not blaming my local Pfaff dealer for the cost -I know they just did their usual mark-up before selling me the piece that I needed.  And, I want to help keep my local dealer in business. It just seems steep.  It's a foot pedal!

But, now that I have gotten that off my chest (thank you very much) and I am back to sewing full speed ahead, here's a glimpse of the project I am doing now.  Can't show much as it is a gifty-gift for Christmas. From the book Frosted Memories:  it does have snowmen in it, and pinwheels.  I really like snowmen, and I really like pinwheels.  Maybe it won't go find a new home!  We'll see. 

And:  MORE QUILTING done.

The first THREE are more of Billie's. 

She sure is prolific, isn't she?

These are more of her block of the month projects.  Very large, too.  And, no, I didn't duplicate the pics, there really are two of them!   Both Steelers' black and gold.

This one is also a block of the month that
she did a while back.  Love the brights, don't you?

(above left) Annette's beautiful batik

Louise's (above right) bright and cheery quilt

She makes up her own patterns for these, and pieces her backs and puts in family members' photos.  I will have to get a pic of the back of the next one!

And finally, Helen's red and white, also one of the block of the month choices from the lqs.  I really like  love the setting stars in this one.  I told Helen I will use this design layout at some point. 

That's enough quilting for now, so moving on to rainbows:

Today while I was out doing my turkey-day grocery shopping and errands the sky was dark and cloudy and a little rain was sputtering (like my old foot pedal!).  The sun looked like it wanted to break through and it did just a little.  Just a little enough to have a rainbow. 

It was much more

beautiful than the pics show. 

I should learn more

about filters.

The one on the left was just taken with my plain ol' camera.  The one on the right was also taken with my plain ol' camera, but I put my sunglasses in front of the lens.  (I told you I should learn more about filters!)  I always think that my sun glasses make me see the world in a little more rosey light, so I thought they might help the rainbow, too.  Can you tell the difference between the two?
Rainbows make me smile.
Hope your day is a rainbow smilin' day.

Christmas packages already???

Today is my day "off" work from the LQS.  So, today when I should be quiltin' up a storm....what do you think I am doing???  Well, I do have a quilt loaded and ready to go.  But I have been having CHRISTMAS!!!

Look:  I opened all my envelopes from the gals participating in the fabric swap within the Snowball Quilt Challenge!!!  See, I told you ..... Christmas!!!
Cute packages, cute ric rac, cute little charms and a bonus cute silky fabric (in red and gold with a little blue shot through - I think this will make a great table mat with a little embroidery and applique') and not a single duplication of fabrics from all across this nation!  Thank you all so much to my swap partners!!!

So then, I had to get MY snowball fabrics out and play with them and let them play with the new pieces:

Aren't they all great?!
This is why I had to wait to open the swap fabrics all at once.  I would have had to have stalled every time I opened ONE.  So, every day or two....open a package, fold it and hold it and take pictures of it and then play with the fabrics I already have, then put the new with the old and move them around and, and, and.  You get the picture.  I call it Fabric-itis.  It's in the medical dictionary, I'm sure.  So I waited and only stalled once, for a very long time!!
Then.... in yesterday's mail, I also received this:

When I first saw these boxes I was surprised that I had boxes waiting for me.  I had momentarily forgotten what they might be.      The first was Lakehouse Dots in white!  Three yards!  When out shopping this past weekend at the not-local quilt shop, I mentioned that I was still looking for the Lakehouse dots in white, and the gal that was cutting my fabric said she had a whole bolt.  She could send me some!  So, THANKS, Roberta, you are a sweetheart!  That is going in a couple of projects, including snowballs!  Then the other box made me drool... again:  I ordered more of that

 line of fabric that is going to be my downfall!!!

Drat that Rouenneries French General Moda line!
But thank you quilt-this.com !!!  Now I can make my "Irish Birds" even bigger and better!!!

OK, Really, off to make the HQ hum! 
Another beautiful day in neighborhood!

WINNER, learn something new every year promise, prairie points/rick rack

"What new thing have you learned this year???  That was the question that I asked you to leave a comment about. This is in regards to my out loud promise to my GGB.  There are soooo many things that you and I have learned this year - hand-stitching blackwork, machine applique two different ways (yes, that counts as two!), quilting outside the "box", being a grandma, trusting your own instincts, that blogging can be hard but exciting, teaching driving to a 16 year old, delivering kid goats, and pivoting a horse. 


For inquiring minds:  the thing that I learned that I couldn't learn, no matter how hard I tried, was playing the harmonica.  But...I will keep trying.  It might not be pretty, but I will continue to try!  he he he, sorry sweetie!
Thanks for all of your comments.  It was nice to see all the different things that we are learning!

And the WINNER is:  drumroll please.....

Jennifer!!!

Jennifer said... Hi Debra, great post! This year, I have learned to do machine applique in two ways (does that count as two things?) and also to trust my instincts when it comes to online friends...in many ways, you are what you blog...happy people usually blog happy things and the opposite is probably also true!
So, congratulations, Jennifer - email me your mailing address and I'll get this in the mail a.s.a.p.
 And now a new product review:
I played with a new gadget recently:  http://quickpointsruler.blogspot.com/  The prairie point/ric rac cutter.  When I first heard of it at market, "they" were calling it a "ric rac cutter".  And I thought - "why would I ever need to cut fabric in the shape of ric rac and then finish all those edges????"


So, a gadget-y friend and I tried it out.  We used the one that is about 35 inched long and 8 inches wide and makes prairie points that are 2 inches long.   Result?:  pretty easy to use, kind of weird cutting into the fabric strip with the rotary cutter.  You still have to cut into the fabric a little more with scissors, but easy to fold the points and iron.  And seems to make prairie point making go pretty fast!  

I am now thinking about putting prairie points around my Crazy Patch Pumpkin to finish it off.

 What do you think?  Orange or green prairie points?  Maybe alternating orange and green?
I am leaning on putting them on as an outside border, facing out.  Let me know what you think.

Now, back to quilting!
Thanks again for all the blog love.
Hope your day is going quiltingly! Or grandma-ly, or pivot-ly, or appliqueing-ly.  Oh, you understand - all the new things you have learned-ly! 

50th post already? That means a giveaway!!!

EDIT:  I received two more fabric swap envelopes in the mail on Saturday!!!
Thanks Katy and Esther!!!  I think that's all 6!!! (If the mystery one was Jennifer.)  Maybe I will open them TOMORROW?!  Thanks, all!
Five-zero.  The big five-O.  5 and ought!
I can't believe that I am up to 50 blogging posts! (And under 50 days before Christmas!--eeek)
Back in August, when I started this little thingy, and I really didn't know what I was doing, (like I really know what I'm doing here now!) I just decided it was going to be my "thing to learn this year".   Way back in the 60's, yes I said the 60's!, when I was just a little girly, my great-grandma made me promise her, an Out-Loud Promise, that I would learn something new every year.  She said that women were under-rated and under-appreciated, and WE could do something about that. 
I grew up and married and started my own household; I learned something new every year...most years it was done unconsciously.  At some point I looked back and realized that I WAS LEARNING SOMETHING NEW EVERY YEAR! 
And as my children grew, and my life became a little less hectic, I began to sometimes consciously chose new things to learn every year.   
Sometimes the new thing I learned chose me.    And, one time, in particular, what I learned was that the new thing I learned was something I couldn't do, no matter how hard I tried!!  But, I WAS keeping my Out Loud Promise to Great-Grandma. 
So, I have learned something new every year. And this was the year that I took my journaling to electronic heights!  Just for me.  And for the Out Loud promise I made to my Great-Grandma B.
So In honor of my 50th post and in honor of Great-Grandma B, and the season - a giveaway!!!  And because of my Great-Grandma B, there are so many different things that I have learned, that I like to do and create, that would be a good give-away gift!  After pondering this for awhile, I have chosen a few things that I think know came about because of my out loud promise to Great-Grandma B:

One person will win all of the following:

One of my stitchery patterns, one of my pincushions & pattern and an inspiring book: 
First: My punkin' orange-work pattern called the "Pumpkin Tree" with fabric kit, floss, needle & hoop.
Second: one of my pincushions & my pattern Pumpkin Pincushions (in case you want to make a whole pumpkin patch of pincushions).  This little cutie does double duty as a pincushion or as table decor through Thanksgiving!
And third:  An autographed copy of "Out of the Box" by Mary Lou Weidman.  (This was a book that I picked up at Quilt Market.  I spoke with the author as she signed my copy and found in her a kindred spirit in creativity.  My creativity comes out in a more folky style than hers though!)

So, if you'd like to try for a chance to win this give-away, just leave a comment here before midnight , EST, Sunday, November 15th, and I will do a random draw on Monday, November 16th! 
Just tell me "What two new things* that you think I have learned to do over the years because of my out loud promise to my Great-Grandma B." *no fair picking quilting or blogging!  Or, tell me two new things that you have learned this year!

Thanks for stopping by!

humming along and The Snowball Challenge and Fabric Swap

It is said that a picture can say a thousand words:

This picture may be screaming thousands and thousands of words.

This is a "waiting list" of quilts in anticipation of Christmas gifting.
I know, not really a "list" but me and my list-making, so a pictoral list!
The dark green bags in this "list line" have multiple quilt tops and backs in them.  So count each of them as three!!
Daunting, I say, daunting.
So "DD", the HQ machine has been "humming along".
Not only has DD been humming along, but so are the days on the calendar.
ONLY SIX AND A HALF WEEKS UNTIL CHRISTMAS!!!! What happened to the months of October and most of November? 
Here are a few more pics of tops recently quilted:

^ Sharon's

Joell's>

< Judy's

DD is humming along, AND the calendar is humming along.  So I suppose that means I am humming along, too!

NEXT:

The Snowball Challenge and Fabric Swap:

I received two more fabric swap packages today!!!!
Thanks to Julie and a mystery person! (The second envelope today had no return address and I couldn't read the city cancellation mark or Zip, so a true surprise!  But it sure feels like squishy fabric!).
I am having a great time with this and it has just barely started.  I also have been told that I am easily amused, and I have to agree.  Really, each envelope contains just three,  five-inch strips of fabric, so no big deal, but still......look at these little packages.  I'm smiling big right now just holding them and in anticipation of which fabrics my swap-mates chose.  And just thinking about opening them when I have all six in my possession...that will be a great day!
I am still trying to not open them until I receive all 6, so two more to come! 
Thanks ladies!  You are making my days!

Another reason to hum along! 

More flimsies not flimsies anymore

MORE QUILTS QUILTED!

Isn't this a great one?  She asked for little butterfly stitching.  I really like it.


This was a row of the month club.  I really like it too.  The colors are perfect.


This one is a cutie - sorry I couldn't get the picture top side up!  And the one after that is by the same gal.  She is almost ready for gifting now!

 

This one is great; I tried to talk her into gifting it to me. She didn't go for it! Imagine!!






Now some of my stuff: 

"Over the River and Through the Woods", a pattern by Crabapple Hill.  I did all the hand stitching, red-work (black-work?) early this year.  It's awaiting it's turn very patiently for it's time with "DD", the quilting machine.

And, finally, progress on the Kathy Schmitz:  "Ring in the New": 

A few more things off my lists, commissioned and personal.  (I am trying to get things sort of caught up so I can start my Snowball Challenge quilt!!!!!)     Also, I picked up something for my mama's birthday, so that's in the mail for tomorrow.
Happy Birthday, Mom!

All around a good weekend!