Sugar Cookies! And Berninas! And Brisket!

Well, yesterday did not go as planned, but it was so much BETTER than planned. It was drizzly rain yesterday morning. And that meant no golf for Hubby. He needed to get his tires rotated at Costco in Montgomery. Did I want to go along and drop off my Bernina for repair? YES! First stop was Sew Bernina. That photo? The one quilt Hubby noticed and said he loved and wished I'd make. Oh dear.

Yes, it's lovely. But it's paper pieced. I really don't care for sewing through paper.

They had the pattern and papers. It's actually a bed runner, so that's good - I mean, at least it's not an entire quilt. BUT still. Paper piecing. Not. My. Thing. No, I didn't buy the pattern. But I'll keep it in mind. Maybe someday, Hubby...

Anyhoo, back to my sewing machine. I was expecting to drop it off for a few days, but they set it up immediately and saw what I was talking about - the weird error message when attempting to use the Stitch Regulator. They ended up calling Bernina headquarters while I was there - they were told to replace the dual feed sensor. Okay, now we're getting somewhere. Could we run an errand and come back? Sure!

Off to Costco to drop off the car. We had a list so we shopped while we waited.

Yes, we needed lunch during this time - BBQ Beef Brisket Sandwich - yes, please! Yes, I counted it - 610 calories. I can do that and still stay within my calories. (I had vegetables for dinner...)

Then the car was ready and we headed back to the Bernina store. Not only did they fix it (Hallelujah!), but they said it was covered by warranty (DOUBLE Hallelujah!) I only had to pay $25! It was all I could do not to break out in operatic singing! Woohoo!

I was so excited that I bought myself this book - Little Handful of Scraps by Edyta Sitar. (I should have bought that quilt pattern for Hubby, right? But I didn't....)

And then it was home to bake those sugar cookies - so good! Recipe HERE! I like this recipe because it calls for powdered sugar instead of granulated - these cookies hold their shape during baking, too. Nice and simple. I delivered some to the new neighbors and then I called it a day! WHEW!

Today we're having a lake day - fun! - I'll take along some hand stitching for the road. But tomorrow??? I'll be back at machine quilting! Yay!

Have a special day!

Piecing, Piecing, Piecing...

Yesterday I laid out all the parts and pieces for the remaining blocks for New Bedford. I started sewing pairs of flying geese together. I plan to finish these today and move on to sewing the parts together. This may be a quilt top by the end of the week!

I have got to make progress with my machine quilting or I'll be very behind... I really need to get my machine in the shop later this week so I can get back to free motion quilting.

Today I'm going to do something I haven't done in a long time. BAKE! I'm making cookies. I love to bake, but since we've been watching our diet for months and months and months baking has had to go away... because I would probably eat what I baked - haha! But I want to make something for our new neighbors as a welcome gift, and so I will. I will save a few for us, but not many...

Have a happy day!

More Hand Work

I began another Farmer's Daughter block yesterday. I know. It's very ORANGE, isn't it? Oh well. It will work in the scrappy quilt, I'm sure.  I also did a bit of hand quilting on Block 1 of RFLQ, also - I'll have a picture to share later this week.

It was a quiet day around here. I finally gave up on a book I'd been reading for several days. Do you ever do that? I just couldn't get into it - so that one will be put aside and I'll begin another one. I really wanted to like it - it's the first in a series, but no...it's just wasn't very good at all.

Lizard sighting on the patio yesterday. They grow them big around here! And Mickey almost caught him...glad he didn't...haha!

Today I'll probably run some errands. And I want to work on my new quilting schedule. I really like to have a plan for each day. Maybe I'll get a bit of machine sewing done later? We'll see...

Happy Memorial Day!

It Started With A Squash Recipe...

So it went like this. Yesterday afternoon I began to make a Southwestern Squash Casserole. I sliced the squash. Then I began to chop a red onion. Knife slipped. OWIE! It took me FOREVER to get the bleeding stopped. Hubby rushed home from the golf course and bandaged me up. I could tell I didn't need stitches because it's a flap injury. No major harm done, but no sewing happened after that. And so it goes. 

Hubby finished the chopping and helped me put together the dish. Was it worth it? Yes! Find the recipe HERE.

I got a question from a reader about the pattern for the New Bedford quilt. I bought this as a kit in Houston last Fall. I think the pattern has been available in the past as a freebie on the Coats website. However, I think it's been removed because I couldn't find it. This reader is anonymous, but if you will send me a direct email (juliacwood@mac.com) I give you additional information.

Wishing you a lovely day!

Happy Saturday!

Yesterday I spent a relaxing day hand quilting. This is Block one of RFLQ.

I have quilted around each and every appliqué piece. Today I'll mark cross hatching to quilt on this block. I will say that this has taken LESS time than I thought it would, but I am developing a nice callous on one of my fingers. 

Anniversary dinner? Fancy restaurant? After mulling over all our choices (and there are lots of really nice restaurants around here), I decided I wanted to go casual. We went to the Marriott in our neighborhood and ate outside by the pool. There is live music every evening - GOOD live music. It's like a party atmosphere with kids swimming and playing corn hole. Adults are sitting around fire pits enjoying a beverage. Some are pulled up the bar. Some are mixing and mingling.

When we eat there, we feel like we are on vacation at a resort. So for a couple of hours we were on vacation. OH...and the food is delicious.  Can't beat it!

We took the golf cart to dinner and on the way home we saw EIGHT dear. It was a really nice evening.

I haven't decided what I'll work on today, other than marking the cross hatching on the hand quilting project. I'll figure something out! Wishing you a fabulous day!

Farmer's Daughter

Remember this block? The one Cooper snacked on?

Here it is now! I replaced the two corner pieces yesterday. Happy, happy.

And I had this block in progress and I FINISHED it yesterday. Two of the diamonds were missing from this so I grabbed the closest fabrics I had and recut them. Yes, they stand out like a sore thumb, don't they? It's those orange diamonds on the right, but you already knew that, didn't you? Well, I'm leaving them in there, by golly! It's a scrappy quilt and once all the blocks are together I don't think they will stand out. Hope so, anyway!

I'm happy to have finally gotten back on track on this project. I have another block cut and ready to stitch, too.

It's another gorgeous day here - maybe I'll even stitch outside. Our next door neighbors moved into their newly finished home yesterday - Cooper has had fun watching their progress out the window.

So what else is going on? Today is our 33rd anniversary. WOW! We're planning to go out to eat either tonight or tomorrow night to celebrate. Happy US!

Have a fabulous day!

New Bedford!

I really got down to business yesterday - I made FIVE of these large blocks. Yay! Now I have to make five more of the alternating block. This quilt is coming together! That good, right? Except my pile of quilt tops to quilt is already too big - haha!

It's a gorgeous day around here! It's about time - we've had several days of rain and I'm ready for the sun! Hubby's headed to the golf course and I'm staying home to relax and sew. My body is still recovering from my trip, but the good news is that this morning I finally woke up on Central time instead of on Eastern time.

I have a question for you all. I'm thinking of buying a wireless bluetooth device to listen to audio books while sewing without having the sound blast out into the room. I'll like the idea of one of those horseshoe shapes that goes around my neck. Any recommendations our there? Any thoughts? Do you have one and does it work well?

Today I'm planning on cutting appliqué pieces for Block 3 of the RFLQ...and I want to pull out my Farmer's Daughter blocks and make progress here. All the while I want to finish listening to my audio book - The Girl in Cabin 10 - it's a good one!

It will be a slow paced relaxing day - just what I need! Have a great one!

RFLQ Block 2 is DONE

As promised, here is my completed RFLQ Block 2. I'm ready to start number 3 soon.

Did you guess that I decided to try my hand at hand quilting RFLQ? Here is Block 1 hooped up- I stitched some on the porch yesterday. I'm doing this as a Quilt As You Go project. It's so much easier to quilt one block and them stitch them together later.

And so it goes. This was all the sewing I did yesterday. I did have a nice chat with the Bernina technician about my Stitch Regulator problems. She had me try a couple of things, but neither worked. And that means my machine will need to go for another spa visit in the near future to figure this out.  It's frustrating, but I know they will be able to fix it for me.

We spent the afternoon at the storage unit - so glad we got all this stuff organized. We just may be able to clear these units out SOON!

Today. Today I'm determined to sew! I'm planning to work on New Bedford - sounds like a good plan to me! I hope you have a fabulous day!

What Did I Buy?

During and after the retreat I went to two quilt shops. And shop, I did! I knew I wanted to buy more white neutrals -

This jellyroll fit the bill!

I fell in love with this panel-like Christmas fabric from Moda. I've been wanting to make a Christmas quilt. I love that these images do not have a true Christmas red - more of a rusty red. (You know I'm not a big fan of red.)

They also had all the coordinating fabrics for this panel, but I used my will power. They also had a cute pattern to go with it. Again, will power. I'll use my stash to do something fun.

I do love the color ORANGE! So I couldn't pass up this pretty fat quarter.

I added three half yard cuts of Kaffe Fassett to my stash.

I bought several yards of this Kaffe -one of my friends insisted I need it for a backing for my Marmalade quilt. She's right, it will be perfect!

You know I'm a big fan of Jen Kingwell. She's going to be teaching at this particular shop (Intown Quilters in Decatur, GA) this weekend and they had a great supply of her stuff. I picked up this pattern - and I have another one coming soon that is on backorder.

The store had also prepared these little packs of fabric for use in Jen Kingwell's classes - I bought one of them, also.

Lastly, I picked up some hand quilting needles and thread. What? Me? Yes! I'm planning on hand quilting a quilt. I know, crazy, right?

Yesterday I unpacked completely, did laundry, and went to the grocery store (in the rain - yuck!), but at least I had my Kaffe Fassett umbrella to keep me dry. Last night I even made meatloaf with baked sweet potatoes. I had more energy than I thought I would. Last night I finished the appliqué on the Block 2 of the Rowdy Flat Library Quilt! Photo tomorrow...

This afternoon we are meeting some movers to help us rearrange our storage unit. We'll be moving some things to Daughter 2's new home next month and it will help so much to get her stuff to the front. But I do hope to sew this morning!

Have a fun day, everyone!

I'm BACK!

This was my first time attending a retreat since moving to the Auburn area. Boy, did I have fun! I was so impressed with the accommodations. I shared a lovely room with a friend. The sewing area was big and we each had a HUGE table to use.

And the food...
The food was amazing! I'm talking homemade scones every morning, along with eggs, grits, bacon or sausage, fruit. It was all delicious. And I ate too much. And I'll get back on track today, I promise!

My primary project was my dresden plate blocks. I posted the photo above on Facebook. After that I finished appliquéing all the remaining blocks and half blocks. Done! I didn't sew the blocks together because I plan to quilt this one block at a time and then put it together.

Then I dug into my New Bedford quilt. Remember, I had cut out the entire quilt a few weeks ago. What I discovered was that this pattern is made almost entirely from flying geese blocks. So I made hundreds of flying geese blocks. It was a very relaxing process. I did manage to put together two blocks, one each of the two alternating blocks. I need to make five more of each block. But all the parts and pieces are made and ready to sew. Good progress made!

With all these flying geese made, I ended up with HUNDREDS of bonus triangles...I see a quilt made with the leftovers in my future!

Before I left yesterday morning I began working on my Marmalade quilt kit. I made five strip sets - forgot to take a picture though. I need to make nine more strips sets. Good progress made on this quilt, too.

I didn't do any hand work to speak of - I spent all my time behind my sewing machine. My friends and I talked and laughed the entire time. I had a wonderful time!

I think going on a quilting retreat is akin to going to Disneyworld for a vacation. You have a blast. You go-go-go. So much fun! And you come home exhausted! I slept late this morning...

When I got home my African Violet was blooming for the first time! I knew it was getting close before I left. I want to get more of these plants. They're one of the few houseplants I have luck with.

Today I have to unpack and put everything away. And do laundry. And buy groceries. I plan to redo my weekly schedule later this week to get myself on track again.

More posts about retreat coming...
Have a great day!

Packed!

My mission yesterday was simply packing. I have all my sewing supplies in the back hallway, ready to load in the car. I still need to pack my clothes but that won't take very long.

The retreat doesn't begin until tomorrow, but I'm heading out today. I'll be driving through Atlanta, on past the retreat location, all the way to Augusta to visit my mother. I'll spend the night with my brother tonight and then backtrack to the retreat tomorrow. Home again on Sunday. Today is my longest driving day. But I have a book on CD to listen to in the car. And I'm packing a lunch and water bottles.

I'll see you here on the flip side - probably Monday. Have a great rest of your week and a wonderful weekend!

Bees! Tiny Bees! And Hexie Jewelry!

Let's start with the hexie jewelry. This catalog came in the mail yesterday - never heard of this company before, but I LOVED their jewelry!

They have a line of HIVE items - right up my alley!

Aren't these gorgeous? Especially for those of us who love HEXIES! www.mignonfaget.com

And now for the bees. Yesterday I cut out all the fabric pieces for the little bees. Last night I appliquéd 3 1/3 bees in place. I put a thimble in the photo so you can see how small they are.

As you can see, my little bees are not all the same.

I had fun using different fabrics for the wings and bodies. The pattern called for 18 little bees. I have 10 planned, though I can always add more if I change my mind.

Today is packing day. The clothes are easy to pack. The sewing stuff - ugh! I've been piling my precut projects in the guest bedroom for a couple of weeks so hopefully it won't be too bad.

I hope you have a wonderful day!

Hexies! Tiny Hexies!

I finished the flowers!

Flowers and flowers and flowers....

So now it's time for the hexies in the corner...the honeycomb. The pattern came with this little template for 3/8" hexies. I only need about 20 of these.

So I traced and cut! I have lots of sizes of hexie papers, but not 3/8". Glad I didn't need more...

I made them all in yellows/golds - no Kaffe fabric here. I stayed up late last night appliquéing these in place.

I will say that this little corner of this block took several HOURS! These tiny hexies are maddening, even for me - a hexie lover!

Now that the hive is in place, I can work on the tiny bees. 

I know it seems this quilt is the only one I'm working on at the moment. I feels like that to me, too! But this week is retreat and I have LOTS of machine projects packed and ready to go.  I'm not sure about the Internet connection at the retreat, so I'll probably be taking a blogging break for the duration. But not yet! I'll still be around for a few more days...

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day! And even if you are not a mother, I'll bet you have influenced a young person along the way - so Happy Mother's Day to you, too!

Yesterday I met Daughter 1 at an art show. She showed up with a Chai Tea Latte for both of us - we sipped as we strolled. There were hand dyed linens.

And I really liked these paintings.

Jewelry was hung on antique spools. We had a nice time! Neither of us bought anything, but we both came away inspired.

Daughter 1 gave me this cool new tool - it's a Tweezerman spring to use instead of tweezers - I was so excited when I saw this! You know every woman needs good tweezers and this is the newest thing. I had heard of it and can't wait to try it. (Don't we all have a bit of unwanted facial hair?!)

And Daughter 2 gave me this on Thursday - again, I squealed when I opened it because I had seen it on Pinterest. These are tiny embroidery hoops - I can cross stitch or embroider or punch needle the design of my choice and put these together to make tiny embroidery hoop necklaces. 

What great gifts!

Hubby bought Cooper a Gentle Leader to help with his pulling issues during walks. He's not too fond of it at the moment, but I'm sure he'll get used to it.

Now...

a bit more about how I'm feeling this Mother's Day. 

Daughter 2 has been married for several years and is in a great position where she works - a great career as a Software Engineer.

Daughter 1 has been married one year today (Happy Anniversary!) and is finishing her Pharmacy Residency. She has recently landed a great job as a Pharmacy Professor beginning in July. 

A friend once told me that you want two things for your adult children: 

1. Love 

2. Career

As of a couple of weeks ago, BOTH of our kids have achieved these milestones. My first thought was, "My work here is done!" I am, of course, thrilled! But then (I have to admit) I had a bit of sadness. "Oh no...my work here is done..." Both of our daughters have reassured me that my work here is NOT done - they will still need my advice and help and companionship. That makes me feel better! A mother's work is NEVER done! 

Are you wondering if my machine error issue fixed itself. NO! Ugh! I may have to finish quilting this quilt in a different way. And my machine may have to go to the shop... we'll see. 

So what am I doing today? Not much! Yesterday I make a broccoli salad and a black bean salad. We have Honey Baked Ham - so no cooking for me. I plan to relax and do some hand stitching. Ahhh....

Enjoy your day!