Finally

Something new on my design wall.  This is what we have made so far in the Carol Doak Mystery BOM: only one more block to go.  Right now she is having a contest to guess what her final layout will be.  I have moved these blocks around several times and this is the way I currently like them best so this will be my guess.









Now, you may be asking about Easy Street.  Well the blocks were are completed on January 31st and the center was sewn together on Feb. 1st. 

Because it has held center stage for so long, it has been put on a back burner for at least a week.



Part of the reason for this delay is that I still don’t know how I want to border it.  Look at all the little leftover parts I have.  I am trying to see if there is something I can do to use them in a border or maybe they will wind up on the back, who knows.







And, finally, I am back to working on other projects.
Here are my heart placemats on the frame and being quilted.








And here they are completed. 


















One more picture to show the quilting. I did micro stippling in the blue and purple sections so the ribbon is nice and puffy.









 I also have started my Wonderfully Fishy BOM for Feb.  It is such fun to go through my batik stash, looking for “just the right” fabrics for these really cute designs from fatcatpatterns.com. 







So here is part of this fish.  I would have had all the parts there but I cut two of them backwards so I will be re-doing them this afternoon.







And while I was working in the studio, DH was redoing his B Western collection layout in the living room.  This Roy Rogers grouping is now living over the fireplace.  This isn’t all of it but it is fun to see Roy, Dale, and Trigger smiling out at us.







His really big display is of Hopalong Cassidy.  This is the first time he has had so many of his Hoppy things in one place and it is really impressive. 









Of course the above is only one of his Hoppy displays.  Here are several different plates, cups, bowls, along with silverware.  At the bottom is a Hoppy Radio, which works (AM only).












In addition to all the action above, I “taught” a longarming class (of 2) on Saturday.  I was asked to share some tips on how to easily load a quilt on the frame and especially how to work with pantographs.  I tried to explain that I don’t know that much and am not that good but wound up doing what I could to share some of the things I have learned.  It turned out to be really fun as we shared experiences and what others have suggested to each of us.  We don’t have a long arm group in our area so this was the first time I have been able to talk this type of quilting with anyone.

Well, that’s about it for me.  Have a great week and come back again.    Gari

Progress??

This quilt top has been my only quilting focus so far this week.  As of today I have quilted almost to the center, attempting to learn how to quilt feathers.  To say I am a complete failure at this attempt would be false but to say I am getting any better would also be false.







I first quilted the “over the top” type of feather.  I don’t seem to have the control to stitch on top of the previous stitching.  Also, I seem to make squareish tops of my feathers.









So the next set I tried the more traditional feather.  They do look a lot better, don’t you think?  However I don’t feel at all comfortable doing them.  Maybe I’ll get better on the second half. 







I decided to do a small meander in some of the triangles and as a background around the feathers.  Because the thread is variable, it makes an interesting focal point.  Hopefully that will draw the eye away from the feathers. 








Since feathers are not, at this time, my favorite pastime, I spent some time working on the lessons in EQ7.  I am up to doing applique blocks and was really surprised that I could complete the block as called for in the lesson.  I have only two more lessons to complete for the online “class.”  I have learned a lot but the best thing I have learned is how to find things when/if I need them again.







And, true to my retirement plan, I took some time for a snack and a good book.






  






So, what was DH doing while I was slaving away in the studio?  Well, 6 years ago, when we moved into this house, I gave him the living room to display his B Western memorabilia.  And, for the last 6 years, I have tried to get him to complete his display.  Well, for the last 2-3 weeks he has been working on it.
















He has movie posters in all sizes.  Lash is on a 4’ x 8’ insulation board,













As is Starrett and Burnette.  These posters were situated outside the theaters to attract movie goers.

The smaller posters were inside the lobby.












We have records, books, games, lunchboxes,














autographed pictures, cap guns,















cameras, radios, and any number of other things.

Right now it all looks a lot like a flea market booth but he assures me that it will, someday, be put in order.  Someday……