Back from the mountains

I had a nice trip to the upper mountains in NC. I got back Wednesday. It rained a lot, so we got alot of sewing done. I finished my strip twist, now to quilt it. I finished piecing a hexagon quilt and have decided that it needs to be bigger, so have to cut some more strips and make more hexagons. I got the cowboy quilt pieced for a great nephew that is about 6 months old. I made it bigger than baby size, so he will have it longer.

We did a little shopping. I found a cheater cloth that was 2 1/2 inch strips lengthwise of blacks and whites. I am going make a strip twist with it. I wont have to sew strips together. Hope I get the camera working soon, so I can show pictures.

I looked mostly for background fabrics for scrap quilts. Shirting type fabrics. I did find several pieces. They are in the wash right now.

The pollen is giving me fits. I think I need to go back to the mountains until it clears up here. They dont have it yet. My green car is yellow today. And my head hurts and I am sneezing alot. Ok, enough complaining. I am off to the sewing machine for awhile.

keep sewing
Vicki

Catching up

I have been slack about posting. I want to add pictures all of the time. But my little digital camera is not taking good pictures. Everything is coming out dark and when I use the software to lighten, it just doesn't look right. I am still tinkering with it. I think the flash and the shutter are off sinc and there isn't much I can do about it. Probably a new one is in the near future.

Patch has had a relapse this week. We went back to the vet this morning. Increased his insulin and he is better again. Lets hope this works.

This past Saturday I did my first trunk show. It was very exciting. District 4 of the Quilters of SC ( that is mostly the midlands of SC) had an annual lunch and show and tell. I was asked to do a trunk show. There are so many ART quilters out there, no offence, that the district rep wanted to have someone that just makes quilts. So, she asked me. YEAH!! It was fun. I called my show the "Bad, Ugly, and Good". The first 2 quilts I showed were the first 2 I had made. Yes, I still have them. Too bad to give away. I went on to show quilts I had made kind of in yearly order of being made. And the last ones were Old Tobacco Road, Double Delight, and This Could be Your Grandmothers Quilt. This was great for the new quilter because it showed them that we all started somewhere. Yes, the 1st one was that bad. When I get the camera back working I will have to post a picture. ugggg

Now, what to do next?? I have some cowboy fabric to make a quilt for my nephews, wife's, 1st grandchild. I think I will do variable stars with the cowboys fussy cut for the center and bandanna fabric for the star points. Wont need to buy anymore fabric, that way.

My men, DH and DS, are going Boy Scouting this weekend. DH is taking a rife and shotgun course, so he can teach. They are both attending the spring fellowship for the order of the arrow. By the way DS is not a boy anymore. He will be 21 on March 29. I just cant get used to it.

RETREAT time. with the guys gone, I am off to the Mountains of NC to quilt with friends. The cowboy quilt will go with me. And probably one other project. Of course there will be shopping. She is not far from Johnson City and Jonesboro, TN. Both have nice quilt shops. And there is one in Hendersonville, on the way. And one in Burnsville, Ashville, Fletcher, and probably more I don't know about. That is not counting the Yarn shops. Better hope that tax return check comes soon. LOL I will be a fun time and Patch the Wonderdog gets to go with me, so I can keep and eye on him.

Keep Quilting

Vicki

Patch update

Patch is home from the vet. He is doing great. Will need only a little insulin for now and special dog food. No people food at all. He is so happy to be at home.


Vicki

Patch update

The vet called late this afternoon and said Patch is doing good. I can bring him home tomorrow. Yeah!!!

Thank you for the wonderful thoughts.

I did sew a little tonite. I am working on my Strip Twist, by Bonnie Hunter. Have most of the blocks made. This is an easy quilt, but looks great. I have seen some of the pictures of black and white one. Mine is scrappy. I may have to do a 2 color one also.

Happy Quilting
Vicki

Patch the Wonder Dog

The house is to quite tonite. DH is watching TV and I am at the computer. Patch the wonder dog is at the Vet. It is too quite without him. We found out Friday that Patch has diabetes. He has to stay at the vets for several days to get him started on insulin. Patch in 9 years old, which isnt to old for a Yorkie. He has lost 2 lbs in the last 3 weeks. Dont fret to much about that he was at 15 lbs. He is as big as a Silky. He was the brute of the litter. I miss having him around. He is always close by me and follows me everywhere I go. He makes an excellent door bell. Barks when someone comes, because he thinks they came to play with him. Hopefully the vet will get his meds correct and we will have him around for a few more years. I dont even feel like sewing.

Vicki

Ramblings

Havent posted in over a week so I thought I would update myself. I have been having a trial of the longarm. My longarm went south and I ordered a part. Part came, then something different happened. Ordered another part, and something different happened. No I didnt repeat my self. Found out that because of the age of my machine, when I changed the mother board I should have upgraded the transformer. They didnt tell me this until later. Had to drive 20 miles to another town to get a new one from Radio Shack. The Radio Shack here doesnt carry them. the pits. Got it hooked up. Worked for a few minutes and then started smoking. Apparently I wired it wrong. Needed another transformer. I had gotten the only one left, so had to go 45 miles the other direction to get a 2nd one. Changed that transformer. Called for help, got everything rewired correctly. YEAH!!! It works now. But all of this took about 3 weeks. So, I am behind on my quilting, just a little. And the cost of parts!!!! The channel locks are not working, so that transformer (which is a different one) need replacing. I can live without this for a little while. That transformer is up inside the machine! ULCK hard to reach. I may wait until I can take it somewhere to get it replaced. I am not up to anymore of that right now.

I did get a baby quilt made for one of my husbands co-workers. His wife is expecting in April. So I am ahead on that one. I will post a picture when I get it taken.

I have been working on Strip Twist from Bonnie Hunters sight. I was going to make it blues, but would have to cut fabric, so it is scrappy since I already had 2 1/2 inch strips.

Tomorrow will be a great day. We are going to Mary Jo's!!! YEAH!!! I need the break from home. We chartered a bus to take us. There are over 30 people going. We have done this before and it is so much fun. The we is folks from several small groups all over our county. We get to catch up with each other. On the way up it is, talk, talk , talk. On the way back we snooze. LOL We are also going to stop by Longcreek Mills or AKA the thread store. They have lots of thread, esp. embroidery thread like Madeira which I use on my longarm.

I have my list and am checking it twice. Just need to check on thread color, so I wont repeat any.

I have rambled enough. Time to get back to work. Got to quilt the quilts to pay for Mary Jo's

Happy Quilting
Vicki

Double Delight

Double Delight is finished. DONE,DONE. Picture of the quilt and the boarder with a unique binding. And I had the perfect backing hiding in the closet. I found this a few years ago for $2 a yard and there was just enough. All fabric came from my stash. YEAH!!!! I quilted it with gold thread. Was going to use brown, but the brown kept breaking, so swapped to gold. I do like it. I also use my Baptist Fan template from Circle Lord and I love the look. Hope you like it too.