Thursday, January 08, 2009

Favorite Quilts

How many of you have a favorite quilt? This old lap quilt was the first quilt that I quilted on a longarm. Back in 2000 during an ice storm, I pieced this flannel quilt, did a medium size meander after taking a longarm class at Quilters Nook in Tulsa, OK (shop now closed). Anyway, even though my dog teethed on the corners of this quilt, and chewed a hole through the middle of it, it is still my favorite quilt, and the one that is in my chair (or over my legs) year round.


In 2000, after working on the quilt above, I started another quilt; a calendar type quilt from "Joined at the Hip". Can't find the pattern on their website any longer so am guessing that it is out of print. I really like working on this quilt. I did it all with flannels and each block has a basket, flowers and a star tucked in somewhere. I did a freehand McTavishing/flame kind of filler around the baskets. I'm entering it in the quilt show next month and titled it "Flowers, Baskets and Stars, Oh My" for lack of a better name! I wonder if this will replace my 'old faithful' quilt that I have brought with me to quilting retreats, car trips and snuggled under for the past 7 or 8 years! Finally moving the Baskets quilts from UFO's to FINSHED! Yippee.

I picked up my knitting needles in December while family was visiting. Since I couldn't spend time out in my studio, I had to do something to keep my hands busy. So, I finished two scarves, one pictured that goes with my new leather coat, and the other one I gave to Lindsey. I started a third one, but haven't finished that one. Not as happy with the third one as the color changes look rather funky. I'm thinking about pulling that out and starting over with a different stitch.

The pattern was pretty simple. Use size 17 needles, get your hubby to cast on 10 stitches, then do a knit stitch on every row until it is the length you want. Cast off. Bury the ends. My daughter said to NOT put fringe on it, so that made it even simpler! Oh - you're wondering about hubby casting on for me? That's because I've got a lot more experience with a crochet hook than knitting needles, and he remembers how to do from when he watched him mom do it as a kid. How cool is that?

Tuesday, January 06, 2009

Stashbusting - 2009

My New Years Resolutions always include something about STASHBUSTING, some times I do better than others. I think I did much better in 2007 than 2008. So, my goal is to at least do better than 2008!

Fabric added this week: 0 yards (of course I haven't been shopping yet, and it is only the 6th)
Fabric added year to date: 0 yards
Fabric used this week: 6 yards (Backing for a UFO Quilt-yippee)
Fabric used year to date: 6 yards
Net fabric busted: 6 yards

All RIGHT! Off to a great start. The quilt is loaded on the longarm, so will show pictures after finished. Actually going to enter something in the quilt show next month!

Monday, January 05, 2009

New Year, New Goals, New Directions

Well, 2008 was certainlyl an eventful year. My first granddaughter was born, survived my first hurricane (we evacuated for Rita), bought land for retirement, saw a black man elected president. Hmm, all that was just in the last quarter of 2008. That's not to say nothing happened the rest of the year. Just that those rather over-shadow the first part of the year!

We had the whole family here for Christmas, and Chloe has grown so much, and is such a cutie. This picture she is just over 3 months.





Was nice to have everyone here. Why is it that Lindsey is always in her pajamas when we take a picture? In the background are the palm trees that Jon got me for Christmas. I loved the palm trees at our old house, and these will make a nice screen between us and the new house behind us.

My daughter Lindsey is the artsy one. She designs product packaging for HEB, a regional grocery store in Texas, and this was one of the labels that she put on the homemade goodies that she made for Christmas. Her finance is the 'meat' guy at HEB and Lindseys last name is Baker. Harley made venison jerky and Lindsey made some awesome cornbread and hot pepper jelly.