Exxie's Home!!

However, she is still in her box in the entry.:(  Early in January we had to ship our espresso machine back for minor repairs.  We HAVE had her for about 8 years (I think!), so she was due for some extra TLC.  I have been without an Americano for 3 weeks!!  DH will be home tomorrow night, so Friday morning things will be right in my world again--DH AND Exxie!

Wimpy Wednesday

Well, I'm puny--caught a cold on Sunday and thought I had it beat--not so.  So I hibernated in the studio and quilted Judy's quilt. It is done.  Her DH is into subtle, so the thread color is very blendy.  I used Linda Taylor's "Feather Meander" and Superior's Omni in a pale peach color--it does show up nice on the back and I'm happy with it.

Fun Friday

A quilting friend stopped by this morning with a cute wall hanging top she wanted me to baste on Henrietta so she could machine quilt it.  And i discovered i had my needle inserted at the wrong angle--the eye was turned too much to the left, so in certain directions--back and to the left, it wasn't catching the bobbin thread to make stitches.  Good thing it was basting and not quilting!!
 And I had my second piano lesson--I am loving this!  I do need to strengthen my ring and pinkie fingers---lots of scale practice in my immediate future.
I will be working (or playing) tomorrow--so that means my backbone of mush must also be strengthened to resist fabric acquisitions!!

#3

is finished.  I love doing bindings at my quilt group meetings--I can visit without having to concentrate!!

# 2

is finished and # 3 just needs the hand sewing of the binding and it will be done!  I've also quilted a large lap for a local charity.  Have you ever done one on a longarm that doesn't have enough backing?!?  I will NEVER not measure a back again!!  (I usually only quilt for myself, so I know the size of my backings---more than needed!!)
But it is done, albeit, creatively at the last edge.

I am seriously considering changing Gertrude's name to Henrietta, which was my previous longarm's name.  I keep calling her by it, so might as well make it official.  There, I've decided...Henrietta it is!

Next on my list to quilt is a queen size for a dear friend.  I've had the thing for awhile (I'm too ashamed to tell you how long--let's just say I need to iron the top and backing before loading!) and she's waited patiently enough!  I will post a photo of it on Henrietta--it is gorgeous and she likes feathers, so will use a feather type panto I used for the first time on the charity quilt.

First Finish for 2012

is the wedding gift.  It was done on Wednesday, washed on Thursday and photographed and wrapped today.  I am taking Tilde's 12 for 12 challenge and will be a piece of cake if I just quilt a few of my tops--the binding is no problem.  I need to prepare backs--that's the problem!  For crying out loud, it's only 1 or 2 seams!!!  Get with it!

OK, maybe I'll listen to myself......

Quilts finished

after Christmas gifts were done.  The first was made up of extra blocks from Becca's mystery.  I added borders and made it into a table topper.  The second is using Brenda's pattern "Kisses and Cuddles"  and Moda's line of fabric called the General, so, of  course, it's name is General Hooker!

Just took a wedding gift off Gertrude and did the machine part of the binding.  The wedding is Friday, so should be in good shape.  Would have been better if I hadn't had to frog stitch 4 or 5 rows.....but now it's in the last phase...hooray!

Christmas gifts

Decorating the tree

The man child and I decorated the tree while DH supervised with his phone---hmmm...is that possible????

Under the wire

This one was done in the nick of time!  I was putting in the last binding stitches, the label and in the washing machine on Friday just before my eldest and his family came down---he will be on the Slope for Christmas, so last weekend was our only time to get together.  But I did it!!  The grandson's name is Tory and green is his favorite color.  Sadly, he didn't come with the family as he had a college final on Monday :(

Culprits Return

to the scene of the crime.  I was rudely interrupted while peacefully blog cruising by lots of banging under my bed room window.  There they were--mama and her twins, munching--no tearing at--my poor dead peonies.  I have tried to take photos of them thru the window before and I now know better.  So I  made a mad dash out to the deck and of course Mama wouldn't stay, so she is headless in this photo.  Serves her right to have missed her moment of glory!

Encroaching critters

These tracks were on my deck two feet from my french door this morning.  He (or she) had wandered all over and had to climb 3 steps to get there!! Our moose have no fear--we don't have a dog and leave the peony bushes for them to munch.  The only time I don't want them around is when I'm trying to get to or from my quilt studio!

Thanks giving was wonderful--DH was home and we spent the evening with my brother and his family.

Almost finished

The guest bath just needs a medicine cabinet and it's done!!

Wind storm

results from yesterday.  We were without power for about 12 hours and had wind gusts up to 65 mph.  This 90 foot spruce bit the snow.  More firewood!

Design Wall Monday

It is now off the wall and loaded on Gertrude.  The panto is picked, the thread chosen and the bobbins wound (hopefully enough).  So later quilting will begin.  This is my first BQ quilt, and I must say it is fast and simple; but what would you expect with 15 inch focal squares!!