Labels, Labels, Labels, and Mother’s Day

I put this picture on Facebook for Mother’s Day but thought I would share it here.  This is our family’s 4 generations of mothers: My mother, me, my daughter and granddaughter.  We have Mother’s Day all over the southeast. 










DH and I went to Mellow Mushroom for lunch: doesn’t this look good?  Well I’m here to tell you that it was GREAT! 















I finally got the binding put on the Boots quilt.  I had to wait until I had the label designed (EQ design wall?).
















I am working with a new software: it is so much easier to stay with the old one but I like the challenge. 























I also have pinned the label on the Funky Chickens quilt but it isn’t sewn on yet.  I plan to take a couple of these quilts to guild Tuesday and would like the labels to be there when I do.













I have started stitching down the Underground Railroad label.  I have to say that all these labels have severely cut into my knitting time. 














And this also cuts into my knitting time.  After DH and three dogs join me on the swing, there is precious little room for knitting.  But who can say no to these cuties.















I did finish my placemats, first real finish since March.  But I think I am on a roll now.





I will be linking up with Patchwork Times, a great place to get your creative juices flowing.

Blank Design Wall

So today I am sharing three things: my newest creation using the My Memories software (giveaway coming next  week), the above completed quilt top, and further down the quilting I am currently doing on my batik Underground Railroad quilt.

First, I really am enjoying the above software.  I am beginning to be more creative in how I document the process of making my quilt tops as well as the backing and quilting ideas.  For each project one creates an album in the software so it is set up to be able to have several pages with both pictures and “journaling” which I call words.  I have several earlier pictures of this top in process so will add those to the “album” and hopefully will have a finished product by the time this quilt is quilted.  Then, as I have just begun working on some Christmas gift ideas, I also plan to start albums for them which I can’t show you since occasionally family members read this blog.    I will, sometime this week, begin working on a label for this quilt and we will see if the software will allow us to be more creative in this area also.

 

Quilting on the Underground Railroad is coming along nicely.  As of last evening I have completed a little over half of the quilt.  I am quilting it lengthwise, 107”, so it takes me quite a while to do one pass. 

 

This is the pantograph I am using.  It is somewhat complicated as there are several switchbacks.  Just about the time you think you are moving along toward the end, the thing takes you back in the direction you came from. 

 

I really like how the teal thread looks on the different fabrics.  I use a poly thread so it shines on the darker fabrics and blends or shows off on the lighter fabrics.

 

This is the panto I am using.  I found it at a guild sale table at a quilt show ($1) and I really like how it looks on my quilt.

 

 

And what is this, you might ask.  Well, this is the stage set for Hal Holbrook’s Mark Twain.  We went to see him Saturday night.  We were not allowed to take pictures during the performance so I shot this before he came out.  I have to say that I have always enjoyed Mr. Holbrook’s performances but this was wonderful and I now have a new appreciation for Mark Twain.  If you have a chance to see this performance, run, don’t walk, to get your ticket.

I hope to work on my Christmas gifts, finish quilting URR, make a backing for the above quilt, plan a setting for another set of swap blocks, and get caught up on my BOMs.  Opps, I think I am setting myself up for failure.  But if I can get a little done on most of them, I will really be happy.

And another thing that makes me happy is visiting Judy’s blog at Patchwork Times and seeing what other quilters are making.

Design Wall 10/3/11

This is my design wall for the first Monday in October 2011.  These blocks are from an internet swap a couple of years ago.  I have had them on the wall a few times with no certain idea of what to do with them.  This week I decided they will be a gift and began the design process in earnest. 

 

First I put the blocks out on the wall and, of course, move them around several times.  Then I decided on the sashing and borders.  Originally I planned to have the sashing, which is also the second border, be just that fabric.  However, when I put it on the wall it looked way too busy.  Using the cornerstones, made from the first border fabric, calmed down the already busy center.

I have the center rows sewn together, not an easy feat since several of the blocks were poorly made, and am ready to sew the first border. 

All this sewing will have to wait.  I have a new WW meeting to lead on Monday and two on Tuesday and since I have to travel a little over 100 each day I will probably only be up to feeding the animals when I get home.

 

Speaking of animals, we seem to have a new one here.

Meet our newest member (?).  We found her a little over a week ago, wandering the streets in downtown.  We have placed ads in the newspaper and on the radio and visited the two vets, attempting to find where she has come from.  The plan is that if no one has claimed her by Tuesday, she will become part of our family.  We have not named her yet, that would mean she was staying and we don’t know about that, yet.

 

Here she is with Abby.  We figure she is about 6 months old but we will know for sure when we take her to the vet for a check up and shots next week.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is finished.  And I got it done before the end of September.  I really like the scrappy binding and it almost finished that 30s fabric.

 

 

I did get the URR on the frame.  The backing is a batik fat back I bought at MQX in 2008.  It has been sitting around, waiting for a quilt to come around that fit it and finally it did.  I can’t show it yet since it is all rolled up on the pole, but will later. 

 

Now, if I could just come up with a plan for the quilting.

 

 

 

 

 

And now, one last picture.  This is for people who think we have no Fall color in the South.  This is a maple tree that is just beginning to turn.

This poor thing was cut down a few years ago and this is what has grown out of the stump.  It is about 15’ tall now but has about 7 small trunks.  I don’t know how this effects it’s growth but it makes a very pretty sight in our very green yard.

And now it is time to pour yourself another cup of coffee or tea and hop on over to Patchwork Times to see what other quilters are up to.

Design Deck

This is my Design Deck for today.  It is my Underground Railroad top, complete.  I love it and it is perfect for a new fall quilt.  With any luck I will be getting this on the frame sometime this week.

 

This was where I was on Wednesday, got the center done with the 6” center panels and the 1” black sashings between and on the ends of the blocks.  I really like how the little black lines separate the blocks from each other.

 

Here we are with the first two borders on.  I do have to admit that I put one of the borders on backward, you know, right side to wrong side.  Those are pretty long seams to have to unsew but unsew I did.

 

And then yesterday I got it finished. 

 

After completing the above I decided to use my time wisely and make the binding for my tumbler quilt. 

It is a scrappy binding using the scraps from the front as well as pieces of the backing.  I’m afraid I got carried away attaching the pieces together and I think I have enough binding for two comfort sized quilts.  We will see when I sew it on today.

 

In addition to sewing, I walk.  DH and I walk 2 miles almost every day.  On our walk the other morning we saw this:

 

This spider web was more than 3’ wide and almost perfect.  We looked and looked but couldn’t find a spider.  It had rained very hard for two days prior to that so it had to be spun that morning.  And can you see the fog?  That stayed around until about 10am.  Spooky, huh?  Perfect for getting in the Halloween mood.

 

This is Buffy.  She has felt left out since both Ms. Murphy and Abby have been spotlighted on the blog and she hasn’t.  The sweater is one that Abby had on when she came to live with us.  It doesn’t fit her anymore but is perfect for Buffy.

 

 

 

Buffy is primarily DH’s dog and he is way proud of her for being an Auburn fan. 

 

Besides being an Auburn fan, I am also a Patchwork Times fan.  I encourage you to drop over there to see all the wonderful projects her other fans are working on.