another finish - utility quilt stitched

Do you remember me showing you these???

And then this???

(this is the one that I couldn't figure out what it was supposed to be

after I stitched it,

so instead of using it,

I stitched another Schmitz pattern to use instead... 

the bird holding a flag of the year

In fact, the whole group in the Sit & Stitch group at the LQS replaced this one...)

Anyway, I sent my big ole' quilting machine on vacation

for the Christmas and New Year's holidays

(yes, it needed a spa day- it is a year old now),

so I decided I would hand quilt something again. 

And this wall hanging was awaiting quilting,
and was the perfect take-along size for traveling & quilting.

"Ring in the New" by Kathy Schmitz:

(Click on the picture and then click again
and you can see some of the Utility stitches off to the right side in the black.)

I used the Utility Quilt Stitch...

at least that's what I call it. 

It was a stitch lesson from Great-Grandma B...

I think that this is the quilting stitch that I learned first,

that was a long time ago...

The Utility Stitch
is a big, hunking running stitch

using a big, hunking thread - like crochet thread or pearl cotton,

and a needle with a big ole' eye.

It's just like a normal quilting stitch,

where you rock up and down,

top to bottom to top to bottom to top through the layered quilt.

Then pull the thread through and repeat. 

Repeat until you get the whole line of quilting done. 

Then, repeat until you have the entire quilt done.

Normal,
except for the stitch length, anyway...

Instead of the 12 to 20 stitches per inch?

Well, it's only 4 to 10 stitches per inch. 

And because of the size?

Well, you can just whip through

a lap quilt or wall hanging

like it's a bowl of ice cream
on a 90 degree day!

Try it sometime,

I think you'll like it!

I was talking about the stitching,

but you can do the ice cream, too! :)

more not flimsies; turkey left-overs ONE.MORE.TIME

More quilting going on around here!  My commission list is getting MUCH shorter, and that is encouraging...that means I will have time to do some decorating, cleaning, baking,  and quilt a couple of quilt tops of my own.  OK, maybe not all of that, but a little of it here and there!
Speaking of quilts, it seems to me that the closer we get to the holiday, the smaller the quilts tops are.  What do you think, is that an indicator of the lack of time to devote to a bigger top because of the "time" element involved?  That's my guess.  So, here are just a few pics of recently finished commissions.

Yellow Brick Road with purple/frogs border and Yellow Brick Road with pink/Dora border, both by Joell.  Both just darling.

This t-shirt quilt by Angie.  She was very creative in her fabric choices - it is a great one for a grad gift.

 

A great memory quilt for Becky's family;

and a perfectly seamed  OSU/nine-patch by Mary Beth.

And last but not least,  a first-time quilter, Pat, did this sampler for herself!

Only three more commissions awaiting meandering at this point.  I may get caught up yet!  If I plan this right,...like left-overs for dinner, I may get another top loaded on the machine tonight. And, since I cooked my Humongo Turkey on Sunday, I have left-overs!

SO, that means tonight is turkey salad plate made with turkey, mayo, candied pecans, green grapes and celery, all served on a bed of lettuce.  Yum...   Sweeties' will be on wheat bread, no grapes, and not quite as Yum.  :)  Any turkey left after tonight will go in the freezer...turkey pot pie, turkey enchiladas, turkey/rice/veggie soup.  I do like left-overs, but better not 10 days in a row!

That's enough for now...I have stitching callin' me...Thursday night is my "blackwork sit and stitch group" at the LQS, I have this month's mostly done, and need to start the January block  so I can show the gals any of the next in & outs (get it??? Ins and outs!???)  they'll need for that pattern.   If you recall, we are stitching the "Ring in the New" by Kathy Schmitz.  I have the November done, the December block is done except for half of the french knots (I'm taking a little french knot break), and that is the January block in the hoop. 

Thanks for stopping by, and don't forget:

Stitch a little today!

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!

conundrum

The puzzle.  The mystery.  The riddle.  The problem.  Conundrum.....
I am not a worrier.  I don't stew over things, usually.  I think I must be just the right amount "naive".  I just don't let "things" bother me. 
So......many tasks probably should come first, but if they don't, the world won't stop spinning. 
Examples:  laundry & dishes & dusting & vacuuming, you know, fun stuff. 
I will tell you in confidence...I did not dust this week.  Nor did I dust last week.  Not even the week before I think.  And cobwebs?  They are around.  Yeah,  if it's a really big cobweb I'll take it down instead of walking through it.  I figure, if it really bothers someone else, I can show them where the duster is! 

I think, from personal experience, that life is too short to be all about worries and making sure things are spotless.
Now, I don't don't want to give the wrong impression.  I am not living in a pig sty.  I always almost always know where things are.  There are socks to wear, and spoons for soup, and I love to cook, so most of the time the shelves in the fridge are full. 
After all of that:  MY CONUNDRUM?
Which quilting project to start/finish first in no particular order: 
A:  I signed up for the "Snowball quilt challenge" (thanks Nicole!) ( http://sisterschoice.typepad.com/sisters_choice_quilts/ ) so fabric washed, pressed, cut and ready to send on to fellow swappers & start making my snowballs.
B:  I have the new line of Rouenneries/French General fabric in my sweaty little paws. I swear it's callin':  "Start me, start me!"
C:  13 quilt tops awaiting my hand-guided meandering -I am keeping close to the two week turn-around :)
D:  "Crazy Christmas" (by Lynette Anderson) quilt applique and piecing
E:  LQS shop sample: Ring in the New" (by Kathy Schmitz)" for sit & stitch this Thursday p.m. (which I am leading)

There, that's not really too many, is it?  I am, of course, leaving off many things that could be on that list, but, hey, not important.
 So.....do you recognize this?

I washed up some fabric. These are color catchers. See all the color caught? Lots of red fabrics!

Then, see the the stuff in the next picture?

These are special  packages for special people.  Ready to stuff into envelopes and drop in the mail tomorrow a.m.

See the note listed above as item A?  Yep, you're right...fabric packages all ready for my exchange group for the snowball quilt challenge!  Here they come: Katy, Julie, Jennifer, Kathy, Christine, & Esther!

Then comes the picture on the right:

EXCITEMENT!!!  These came in the mail today!!!

I received my first two packages from my Snowball Quilt Challenge and fabric exchange!!!  Thanks Kathy and Christine!!! 

I am going to try going to keep them unopened until I receive the packages from all six of my peeps!  Really, I can.  It will be like Christmas if when I save them and open them all at once!!!

Then On To "Item C" on the above list:

This is Mary H's - a Jo Morton pattern.  See the pic on the right, yes, that is cross-hatch stitching every 5/8 inch. 
And yes, it took a while !!

This one was made by Mary M. for a raffle to raise money for Christmas for People In Need in Delaware, Ohio. 
And on the right, a close-up of the "flame' stitching.

This quilt is Bev C's and is about 60" x 70", I love all the colors in the batiks!  And on the right the close-up of the stitching.

And, finally, another block of the month in scarlet and gray.  Don't know how many of these I have quilted so far this fall, but I think I'm getting pretty good at stitching OSU things in the gray "on point" setting squares .

So, I am working on some of  my conundrums......November has started, daylight savings has come, and, and, oh yeah, I like the word Conundrum!

Life is too short, so stitch a little every day!