Happy Memorial Day & Seeing Stars

Happy Memorial Day and a special thanks to all of those serving in the Armed Forces that provide that blanket of freedom that we live under.

The Quilting Bug has bitten me hard and I'm so happy that I'm seeing Stars. Let me explain...the other night I was in AC Moore picking up some yarn, and while I was in line waiting, I picked up the new McCalls Quilting Celebrate Your Stash - America Love Scrap Quilts - whew, what a title, eh? Well, as I was flipping through the pages, I came across this quilt that just sung to me. What's not to love, scrappy, red/white/blue, and a sampler of stars --maybe, I can even put a major dent in some of my stash - hey, a girl can dream!!

Since all of the Season Finales are finally over, I decided not to turn on the TV on Thursday night. I took the magazine up to my sewing room and started pulling fabrics. Good-bye clean sewing room - hello new project.

I've been busy. It was like eating potato chips -- one block led to another, and sew on and sew forth. I must have been destined to make this quilt, because everything went together beautifully.

I was on vacation Friday and my morning ritual is usually a cup of coffee and Sudoku - I forwent the Sudoku puzzle and started sewing until the sun came out.

Since this quilt uses 4-patches as fillers, I've been sewing them as my Leaders & Enders.

I'm kind of a computer geek, because I made up an Excel spreadsheet to keep track of the blocks that I made and the many, many that I have left to do. But, I have been enjoying the process and that's all that matters.

I met up with my Quilting Buddies on Saturday for a little quilt retail therapy followed by Afternoon Tea and Show & Tell. What a perfect day. If you look at the reflection in the glass, you can see picture-perfect blue sky and not a cloud in sight. I also fell in love with the planter between Deb and Susan that housed a Diplidina -- I just had to have one and stopped at the garden center to pick one up. As a matter of fact, all three of us got one!



After we left the quilt shop, we made a side trip to Joann Fabrics armed with our coupons and I picked up this cool Art Bin that is now holding my Star blocks together waiting for me to get finished.

Party with Patrick

On Wednesday night, I attended the first Party with Patrick celebration at The Quilter's Hive. It was so much fun. The theme was a bridal shower and many of the participants came with some of the most outrageous bridal veils. They held a judging and had the women parade throughout the store for prizes. My creative juices weren't flowing to come up with a bridal veil, so I just shot pictures.


My name got called in one of the drawings and I won a roll of Steam-a-Seam 2. I was so excited since I've never used it before (I've been a Heat and Bond Lite gal for quite some time), but, I love trying new things.




They also demo'd the monthly project (a May Flowers banner) and my friend Susan and I got sucked in --They cast the line and we were caught, hook, line & sinker. At least it was a kit, which included everything needed to complete it -- even the backing fabric. And, of course we had to have the sunflower hanger, too.

The celebration was complete with dessert and a delicious punch.

It's Been Too Long

Just in case anyone is interested or still reading my blog, I am alive and well. I just didn't have anything going on in my life that was Blog-worthy.

I so happy that Spring is finally here - a time of new beginnings. My Knock-Out rose is just beautiful this year - it was a Mother's Day gift from my Mother 3 years ago - so it's truly the gift that keeps on giving. A robin has built a nest on my front porch and it has 4 baby robins in it. I have enjoyed watching them, but they are the shittingest birds I have even seen. It's a good thing that they are cute because I have to wash down my porch every evening. The addition of these birds does not thrill my "indoor residents" and they spend all of their time looking out the front door barking - which really annoys the Alpha Dog - ME! Here's Toby in the "Sentinel" position next to the front door.

I am finally starting to get my Quilting Mojo back. I'm attending the monthly Demo's at The Quilters Hive, I attended the Lancaster Quilt Show with my two quilting buddies and I've joined a 30's Club. Once a month I go "clubbing" at the quilt shop, which is a great social event - we have a monthly project in 30's fabric and then are treated to dessert and a discount on any purchases. If this just sounds like a lot of retail therapy - you're correct!

I've been visiting a lot of blogs looking for inspiration and lo and behold, I stumbled across http://crazymomquilts.blogspot.com/ blog and she is sponsoring a Quilt-A-Thon. Just one block a day - hey, I can do that. And, the block is the 9-Patch -- my personal favorite. Of course, it wouldn't be me, if I didn't get a late start -- every group needs a slacker - so I fit right in. So, here I was 16 days late, but I just love a deadline. I made an Excel spreadsheet so that I can keep track of what I've done and where I need to be.

On Friday night, I started stripping - hey, now don't go there - stripping fabrics with the rotary cutter!! I've been trying to clean out my sewing room - OK, I'll admit it -- I have too much fabric and in that too much fabric is stuff I never want to see again -- well, maybe if I just take a strip, then I can be done with it. In the clean out, I also came across tons of FQ's that I have know idea of why I bought them, but they are fun and bright and just the ticket to pull me out of my Quilting Funk. Thanks, Amanda Jean.

Once I had a pile of strips, it was grab & sew and it didn't take long for me to catch up. It felt so good to hear my Bernina humming along. I didn't even mind the hopping up and tripping over a dog to press because everything was just falling into place.

I'm happy to report that it's now Day 22 and I have 25 blocks made.