YAY!

i was able to salvage and complete the crib quilt!!! i ended up seam ripping all afternoon yesterday to at least save the backing and batting, but the quilt top was ok, so i fixed it!!! here it is with the crib, ready to be passed on to the next family member who is starting a family...

i also have here an updated pic of kathy's country churning diamonds... the top is pieced and trimmed... since this pic was taken, i took out most of the "ruffles" around the edges... there isn't anything else i can do until i have the money to get it quilted...

next order of business: decide on a quilt pattern for kristin's quilt, and i think i have decided...

man, deadlines work great for me... so, here is another one: i will have kristin's quilt peiced (and photographed and posted) by next saturday... hold me to it...

click, bye

so far...

it has been a most unproductive day!! oh well, all the kids are happy and busy... the house is a mess... the laundry needs doing... and overall, it has been a long and busy week... jeff is going to ny this weekend, so i will have a lot of down time...

the pic is from the last time we drove through vermont... stopped at denny's to have lunch with jaime... it was great fun!!! so good to see jaime again!!!!!!!

ok, i'm off... i'll be back when i have something productive to report... until then,

click, bye!

so, my bubble has burst...

i ruined the baby quilt today by trying to quilt it on my little machine... argh! i never really loved it anyway, so i will begin it again... in a few days... my back has been aching from all the hours i have put in at the sewing machine... so, i picked up harry potter 6 again to read before the movie comes out next week... i'll give myself a new deadline... finish the book and piece the top for the crib quilt for next tuesday... i'm pretty depressed about the whole thing... i'll keep you posted...
click, bye

well, words be marked!

aunt kathy's quilt top is pieced!! i am putting a deadline of tomorrow on the crib quilt...by tomorrow night i should be hand stitching the binding!!! and then, on to kristin's quilt... then maybe the border on the honeycomb, but that is planning pretty far in advance for me... i'll keep you posted!!!
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my goal for today...

well, since my deadlines are going so well, i was able to cut and peice about half of aunt kathy's quilt yesterday!!! i made 96 half-square triangles! ugh!!! anyway, now the blocks need to be finished up and maybe i will have a picture by evening... i have a few extra kids here today, so i might not get it all done, but on the other hand they are totally keeping my girls busy, so i might get it done even more quickly!!! stay tuned for pics and updates!
click, bye!





update... all the blocks are pieced, just not sewn together yet... here is a pic...

it is evening now and america's got talent is on at 9... i likely will not get anymore sewing done tonight, but this top will be completed tomorrow... mark my words!!! and then i will finish the crib quilt... and then, well, i have to pick a pattern for kristin's quilt....

click, bye

here i am again...

this is a blossom from my double petalled hybiscus... just lovely... i nursed that plant for 4 years... when i first received it as a gift from my mom, it nearly died... lost all of its leaves and i had to cut it back to nearly nothing... but i kept it and finally this year, i have been greatly rewarded... it flowers all the time, sometimes multiple large flowers... it is beautiful...

i wasn't kidding when i said deadlines work for me... the crib quilt top is pieced and it isn't even 10am on monday morning!!! i'll have to go out later to get batting, so there is no more i can do on it now... if i could find my camera i would take a pic to post... hmmm, first i think i'll find some breakfast and then begin on aunt kathy's quilt top... i'll post pics later...
click, bye!

*update - Marina found the camera... here is the completed top for the crib quilt...

it is very simple and quite small, but i think it is just right for its intended crib... after i have it quilted and bound, i will post a pic of it with the crib... looking forward to having it completed...

ok, since deadlines work for me...

i will have my crib quilt top peiced by tuesday night (it is sunday evening)...
i will have aunt kathy's quilt top peiced by the following tuesday night...

these are my current deadlines... i will post a pic of the crib quilt top by wednesday morning... i will post aunt kathy's top by the following wednesday...

if, by some miracle, i am ahead of schedule, i will work on piecing kristin's quilt top next... still working on the pattern though...

wish me luck...
click, bye

deadlines work for me...

which is why summer is not terribly productive for me... i have a few deadlines set... a birthday, a reunion, stuff like that... but, i need more motivation... i am trying to get the arena (sewing room/work-out room/ playroom) cleaned up so i can sew more efficiently... but it is taking forever... my stash of scraps is fighting me ever step of the way... it is so difficult for me to throw fabric away, even scraps as small as 1 inch by 1 inch get kept!!! so, i struggle...
there is a quilt show in augusta in a few weeks... tab and i are planning to go... very excited about that...
ok, for now, my deadline is 1:30... i want to work for the next 2 hours in the arena and have a space i can work in... then i have family bbq and a sleepover with my friend amy!!! that will be fun! happy fourth of july!!!!!
click, bye

easy day, long week...

so, today i have an easy day at school.... mostly watching movies... but this week is kicking my butt... it is taking forever!!! i can't believe it isn't even 10:00 yet on wednesday!!! graduation was last night and it was so nice... the kids had fun, the speeches were good... the awarding of scholarships took ages, but who can complain about the kids receiving money for college... i'm looking forward to this weekend so i can relax and get some things done... i need to write my finals and grade a bunch of stuff... i should also sew!! i have fabric and a plan for aunt kathy's quilt now, so that is good...
i'm on the look out for the windham paperdoll fabric line... i would love to make doll quilts for the girls for christmas... the fabric is great... quilt divas had it but are almost out now...
i'll sign off for now... i have lots to do...
click, bye

rail fence and beyond...

i am up to 30 blocks for my crib quilt now... not sure if i will stop there... i added some pinks to even out the colors a bit... i still need to add some purple... and i need to collect the full names and birth dates of all the babies that have slept in the crib... that is all for tonight... it has been a very busy weekend... i accomplished a lot and have a ton left to do, alas, i must go to bed... goodnight.
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me again...

well, i actually did some sewing... 55 minutes worth to be exact... i was able to complete 18 blocks for my "heirloom" crib quilt...

clearly, this is not the final layout... i'm not sure i like it yet... but maybe when i have more variety... any comments???

click, bye...

staying motivated...

that is the big challenge... i have been slacking on my blog for ages and so i am trying to get back on track... this weekend is so chock full of work and visiting and events... it is making me a bit crazy!!!

my garden is probably completely washed out... it has been raining for 4 days straight... ever since i planted it... keep your fingers crossed that something survives!!!

ok, so far, i haven't even touched a piece of fabric yet this weekend... tomorrow is totally booked and today is pretty much too... i just can't figure out how to get everything done that i want to get done... maybe if i didn't sleep at all.... maybe then... i just can't wait until summer... but then the apathy hits... gotta stay motivated... that is my new mantra... maybe some goals for myself...

*sew for at least 30 minutes everyday (most likely this will turn into several hours a day, but i have to get myself in front of the machine first)...
*put laundry away before beginning a new load...
*read at least 1 book a week for school (including planning and collecting materials- next year i have classes i have never taught before)
*declutter and thoroughly clean at least one room each week...

for inspiration i am including a few pics of fabric i have for various projects...

the blues and browns for kristin...


asian fabrics for something or other....

just a few of the 1930's fabrics for the heirloom baby crib quilt...

the bright batiks for a lovely quilt for me!!!

ok, let the creating begin... wish me luck!

click, bye...

designing a quilt studio...

the next order of business... designing (and implementing) a quilt studio... jeff and i are saving up to finish the "arena" and make it a family room/quilt studio... it should be big enough for both... i hope to have a long arm quilting machine sometime in the next decade so, i'd like to figure out a floor plan that i like as well as some sort of organizational scheme to implement... our friend curtis will be helping us (i hope) make it all come to fruition... this is what i want:

a large countertop that can be used for cutting, ironing, and sewing...
blocky shelves for fabric organization
smaller units (possibly cd holders) for smaller cuts of fabric (fat quarters and whatnot)
a way to hang quilts that are either ready to quilt or already quilted...
a thread spool holder...
a permanent design wall...
storage area for batting/extra supplies...
a long arm quilting machine!!!!

click, bye...

update and motivation...

well, well, well, if it isn't me... it has been a while and i need to get back on track... i have so many projects to complete this summer... i figure i can sort of keep my self motivated by posting what i am working on and what progress i've made... so, this is a list of the current projects i have in the works or on the drawing board.... here goes:

*a crib quilt to pass along with the bassinet that grandpa made (1930's fabric in a railfence pattern perhaps? i already have the fabric and backing...)

*a quilt for aunt kathy's birthday (aug. 1st) no fabric or pattern yet, but she likes country colors and traditional quilt patterns...

*a quilt for my friend kristin.... she is redoing her bedroom in blues and browns (a personal fave of mine) and she says, "bring on the funk!"... i have fabric but not sure of a pattern yet....

*a quilt for me made from bright batiks.... can't remember the name of the pattern, but i have all the fabric... lots of half square triangles...

*the honeycomb.... i have to add the borders and make my binding before i can have it quilted... but i finally have all the fabric, even the backing for that one!!!

*a one block wonder is on my design wall now... i have to finish piecing the top and add borders... that one is for me, so there is no rush, other than needed my design wall for other projects...
i also have fabric for an attic window and an asian quilt that are for me (i guess) but i haven't gotten around to...

*i just finished a snail trail for me.... i am so greedy with my quilts!!! i just love them!!!

so, that is what i have planned as far as quilting this summer... i also have planted a garden, bigger and a bit more adventurous than the last one i had... unfortunately, it has been pouring ever since i planted it 3 days ago.... so, hopefully, they don't drown and rot.... ugh!
i'm looking forward to a productive weekend and a speedy next three weeks... and then, summer!!!!

click, bye...

6:26 on a freezing morning

well, i must admit, i have become a huge fan of the twilight series... i read it through twice in about 2 weeks and loved every excrutiating minute of it... anyway, the premiere of the movie is today, but alas i will not be seeing it... not yet anyway... i'll keep you posted on that... times are hard right now and i'm having a difficult time sort of across the board, but we will persevere....

click, bye...

4:06 on a bummy afternoon

first off: i'm bummy... jeff has returned to ny and so i am sad to see him go... i even cried (a few times)...

secondly: i'm hot... the weather has been quite nice lately and so i am complaining that it is too darn hot... i do not handle heat well.... i like cool breezes off the ocean and snuggling under a quilt or five....

thirdly: one of the coolest things i have ever planned will occur this weekend.... i am hosting a camp reunion for all the folks from china lake that have gotten older but not yet grown up... the plan is this... a bunch of old friends arrive around 1 on saturday... we visit, we play cards, we attempt to set up volleyball net... we eat bbq and play more cards... we take 1000 pictures to post online making all the people who couldn't come feel badly.... anyone who wants to spend the night can and should... we have room (basically)... i am anticipating somewhere around 15 people (or more) which is approximately the same number of people we have for football games every week... so, it should be manageable and if more people come all the better, we can certainly expand our party out onto the lawn and into the dojo... and more cards and food on sunday...

i am especially thankful to any and all who have passed the word around about this shindig... i am so excited to see my old friends.... and in anticipation of the upcoming spectacle... here is a picture from camp.... from front to back: wilben wilson, kristin messana ciampa, abby wheeler, corey gray, mikey b, kathy sullivan white, scott delassandro, aj holt, me, ira micheau, stacy someone and the unknown girl....

click, bye...