Got my computer back!!

Well, time to start a new year. I know, I know, it is already a month into the year, but I have been without a computer for 2 months. Finally getting caught up.

Tomorrow, I am off for the day to sew with a group of ladies. Most of them are from the yahoo group of HeartStrings. I am looking forward to meeting them. I should have pictures to share when I get home.

Today, I need to finish a donation top and then get everything ready to take with me tomorrow. We are off bright and early for the drive to NH. Also, I need to go pick up my machine at the shop. It was in for some maintainance work. Will probably be humming along nicely, tomorrow.

Stay warm and safe, everyone!!! A good day to stay in and sew, here in my neck of the woods.

Darlene

Goals

I have decided that I get more accomplished if I write my quilting goals here. So, even though the week is half over, I am going to list what I want to get done by Sunday evening.


1. Finish top of Lattice quilt
2. Trim the rest of QAYG blocks
3. Make the rest of the red/tan 4 patches needed to finish double 4 patch top


I had originally planned to make 350 QAYG blocks. I have changed my mind on that. I find I am getting a little overwhelmed by that goal. I feel as though I am not able to spend any time on my own personal projects. That being said, once this batch is trimmed to size, I plan on getting them in the mail to Sue by Sat. I have over 150 blocks done.


Still stitching,

Darlene

Cupcakes

Hey Everyone,


Do you love cupcakes?????


Sweet Pea over at Coffee Time Stitches is having a giveaway to celebrate her 400th post!!! Way to go, Sweat Pea!!!!! Go on over and check it out.

http://coffeetimestitches.blogspot.com/

Family Photos

I am back. Have not been around recently, so decided it was about time.

We got a chance to go visit my son, Steve, last week. He was able to get his son, Stephen Jr., for the afternoon. We got some cute pictures.

These first two pictures are of my Hubby on the floor playing with Stephen, Jr. and his tool bench. We got him the tool bench for Christmas. We remembered how much Steve liked his when he was that age. We were very glad to find one. He loves it.

In the background of this second picture, you can see my daughter, Lydia and my son, Steve. Lydia just turned 12 last week. Steve is 21 and you may be able to tell by the photo, but he is very tall, 6'4". The long legs give it away. LOL

These next two photos are of Lydia, Steve, and Stephen Jr. on the couch with Boo. Or, as Stephen Jr. calls him, "shitty shat". LOL (Stephen Jr. is 2 and a half) Apparently, he can't make the hard C sound yet. LOL

I have to give Boo lots of credit. She tolerated being chased and picked up and carried around quite well. Especially, given the fact that half the time she was upside down. She never hissed, bit, or clawed at the grandson. She must know that he means no harm and he was being as gentle as he could. She did run away occasionally, but not far. She would lay down in the middle of the floor where he could just pick her up again. What a good "shitty shat"!!!!!!!!!

This last photo is of Stephen Jr. and Lydia coloring together. I have both pictures on my fridge. LOL Even at 12 years old, Lydia stills likes to color. Actually, she is becoming a very good artist. She draws very well. We are hoping to get a scholarship for her to take a week long Cartooning class this summer.

I realized as I was loading the photos, that I did not get one of Summer, my son's financee. Tried to find the one of us at Thanksgiving, but can't find the file it is in. I'm sorry, Summer, my oversight. Summer is a beautiful girl and we welcome her to our family. She and Steve have set a date for the August 9th. We are all looking forward to the wedding.

On a quilting note, I have been working on "Quilt As You Go" blocks to send to JanMac in Australia, to be made into quilts for the bush fire victims. My goal is to send 350 blocks by the middle of summer. I have just about 150 finished and another 50 ready to go. So, well on my way to my goal. I must say, that without the string and batting scrap donations from others on the Heartstrings Group, I wouldn't be able to make this goal. Thanks to all of you!! You are the best group!!!!

What have you all been working on???

Darlene

Busy weekend!

Hello Everyone,

Saturday was a Make a Blanket Day for Project Linus. Even though I don't donate my quilts through this wonderful group, I decided to dedicate my weekend sewing to making kid's quilts. I got four tops completed and have two others in progress.

This first photo has Snoopy and Woodstock in St. Patrick's Day fabric. It measures 41" by 58". The binding will be the gold fabric. I used all of the Snoopy fabric and have less than half a yard of the gold and green fabrics left.

The next photo features John Deere fabric. I used the same gold that I used in the Snoopy quilt. In the John Deere farbic there is a touch of light blue, so I used that as the other alternating color. This way the quilt is not too dark. I have none of the blue or John Deere fabric left. The binding will be in the gold fabric. This quilt measures 40" by 57".

This next quilt has little orange fish in the center squares. It measures 43" by 52". I used up every bit of all three of these fabrics. Don't know what I will use to bind it, yet.

This fourth quilt has Bugs Bunny in the center squares. I pulled the orange and green from the small carrots in the fabric. Love the green, which reminds me of the leafy part of the top of the carrot. This quilt measures 41" by 58". I will bind this one with the green. I have none of the Bugs Bunny or the green fabric left. Have several yards of the orange left. Just bought that a few weeks ago.

My quilting goals for this week.........

1. Quilt, bind and mail a baby quilt

2. Finish the pink/purple/white Jacob's Ladder blocks

3. Continue working on some QAYG blocks for the Australia project on Heartstrings.

What have you all been up to?? What are your goals for the week??

Darlene

Been sick, Yuck.

Hello World,

I have been sick, so no blogging or sewing got done for over a week. Just got back to sewing some yesterday. Hopefully, will have some progress to share after the weekend.

Going to catch up on blog reading. Talk to you all later.

Darlene

January's stats

Hi All,

I am a few days late posting my January totals. Here they are...

1. Used 81.5 yards of fabric

2. Spent 75.5 hours doing something quilty

3. Finished and delivered one quilt

4. got several donation quilts to the finished top stage.

This is a picture of a Happy Block top I finished. This measures about 43" by 53". This was made with a stack of 5" squares I had left over from making "I Spy" quilts a few years ago. All the framing fabrics came from stash. A very easy way to use up scraps.

This second quilt is about 36" square and made out of flannel. I have a friend expecting her first baby and she knows it is a boy. I thought this would be great until I finished the top. That is when I noticed the words on the basketball flannel say Varsity Girls!!!! After my husband and I finished laughing, back to my flannel stash I went and this third picture is the top of the baby quilt I will send her.

For the last several days, I have been sub-cutting strips that I sewed last week. Been pinning them into 4 patches while I watch TV. Also, have been squaring up HSTs. Will soon begin constructing the blocks for the pattern, Idaho Beauty, from the book, "More Nickel Quilts".

What have you been doing lately??

Darlene