Stepped Away From Sewing, August 24, 2016

Unfortunately, I had to step aside from sewing.  I got a bad reaction to chopping some vegetables and aggravated Arthur.  I had to go to the ER room, very painful.   After a month I can finally hold a pencil.  Old Man Arthur sure knows how to wreck your life.  I hopefully will back to sewing in another week.  You all have a great week.    God Bless

Special Gift for Helen, July 26, 2017

Photo of a quilt that was given to my best friend, Helen.  Helen lost her husband a year ago, I got all his shirts and cut them up to make the quilt.   Sandi got me started and  did the binding. Kerry Marksbury did the machine quilting.   I really like how the quilt turned out.  Needless to say, Helen needed tissues when I presented it to her.

Cute Stick Horse

Cute Stick horse

I had a challenge some time ago from our group in a club that I belonged to. Each member was to make a stick horse or pony.

I went on line and found a pattern to make the above.  As usual I got some ideas from my 

daughter, Sandra.  I think he turned out really cute.  I have named him many different names and really don't remember what his original name was, lol  I found him tucked in the corner of a closet, brought him out for some fresh air.

I have six quilt tops ready for quilting,  I will bind them, do the hand sewing and then I will be donating them to Project Linus.  I hope they will make six children feel happy.  I will post them as I finish them.  

Have a great week.

Remembering Joe

My dearest friend Helen asked me to make a small quilt using her late husbands shirts.  This was such a special request so I looked around for just the right design.  Sandra led me to Bonnie Hunter's Scrappy Majestic Mountains design.  (It's FREE on quiltville.com)

I started off by taking apart each of the shirts to get yardage.  I was so surprised by how much fabric one can get from shirts.  Sandra had a good background fabric to use in her stash.  Once the blocks were sewn together the dilemma came in selecting the right arrangement.  Which one do you like?

Diamonds

Zig Zag Mountains

Jagged

I decided on the Zig Zag Mountains, but made the blocks more scattered then in pairs. A red border was added to complete it.  I just know she's going to love it!

This wasn't a request, but I put together this block that will be framed.  It may be around a bit longer than the quilt since the shirts were such loving worn.  I'm thinking about a black frame.  The log cabin signifies "home" and the red center signifies "the heart".

Until next time, be safe and kind to everyone.

Adventures in California Part 2

Dropping in to show and tell the rest of my adventures.  Sandra had to work a couple of days, so while she was away I raided her garage stash (she has two stashes of fabric, her best fabric is in her sewing studio).  I turned on the sewing machine and finished up the backs.  Amazing how you can get things done without any interruptions.

Star Top for the Veterans Home

Circus Top for Project Linus

Found a back for this panel
made for Project Linus

Patriotic Top made by Joanne Simmons
Check out the back that I found; it
will make some young at heart guy happy
at the Veterans Home

Fussy cut hearts

This is my last project, I took the extra section of the back from the Star Top and added some white and red blocks to make another Project Linus donation.  Yea, two for the price of one. This is still to be finished.

I had a super grand time with my Daughter, She has treated me like A queen.  We just don't get enough time together.  I love her to the moon and back.  Thank you San for everything.....  I also thank Tim for all the great BBQ and taking us out to dinners.

See you all next time, I will be home and  writing from Maryland.

Adventures in California!

Hi Friends!
I have had the best of times visiting my daughter Sandra.  Sure seems like yesterday that I arrived, but Southwest will have me as a passenger tomorrow :(.

My adventures were many.  They started with a visit to the San Diego Zoo.  We walked the pathways that were up and down, up and down until our legs were noodles!  We ate lunch in a tree house that we reached via elevator not a rope ladder LOL.      
Next day we rested.  My legs were not ready for the beach scene that Sandra planned quite yet.  Saturday we met up with Sandra's best friend Kerry for the afternoon.  I saw all of her quilting projects along with several of Sandra's waiting to be quilted.  We had lunch and a trip to Costco, fun day!

Preparing for our quilting retreat at Vina de Lestonnac in Temecula took priority.  Some last minute purchases at Beverly's and lots of cutting.  This place was great.
  
My seat was just next to Lisa (on the right) and in front of Candi (on the left).  Sandra sat on the other side of me.  We had large 8' tables to spread out on and I took every bit of it LOL.  It was a fun and productive retreat.  These are some of the quilts that will either go to Project Linus.

 

  

There were a few others that were finished that you will need to come back and check on!  I finished one of Joanne Simmons patriotic quilts.  Wait until you see the back on this one "ooh la la"!  A male veteran will love it no doubt.

I have also had fun at Pechanga Resort & Casino.  We stayed the night in an upgraded room, a suite on the 12th floor (what a view), with several hours at the penny slots and a bingo session.  Sandra was lucky with a BINGO during the early bird portion of the evening.  I came close many times, but no cigars for me.

There will be more on a future post.  Do come back!

California here I come !

Getting it all together, I have only my toiletries to add, so excited to be with my oldest daughter.  Twice a year is just not enough to be together.  Sandi has so much planned, she is going to wear me out. lol.  Looking forward to the new retreat center we will be going to.  So many nice, warm and good friends will be together.  Sure will miss Kerry at the retreat, but I will be seeing her while I am visiting.

I will be going to the Penchanga Casino on the way to the retreat, that will be neat.  Can you see my envelope, lol, been collecting extra cash to hopefully win a big game. lol

I will send some news and photos, have a good one.

Key Fobs

Just finished an order for a gift shop in Florida.  These key fobs are a popular item.  They will go in the mail tomorrow.  Hope the owner is pleased with these.  This part of Florida contains two different colleges, I also made pouches for this gift shop last month.   I will be leaving for San Diego, hopefully I will get one more posting in before I leave.  Can't wait to be with my oldest daughter Sandi.  The only problem is the time goes by so fast, we stay so busy, really looking forward to my hugs. 

Surprise

While cleaning, straightening out my sewing closet, back in the rear of the closet I came across this stick horse that Sandi made.  It has been hiding for many years,  She did an awesome job, it is time to let "Greyland" out for some fresh air.  He is so cute.

Made some carmel pop corn before the Nationals game on Sunday.  DH loves this snack. We had no idea the game would last for 16 innings.  Great game, and a lot of corn eating. (lol)  Nationals won, so it was worth the wait. 

Pass Port Holders

I had a request from a friend if I would make a couple of passport holders.  Not knowing anything about this item I was puzzled on what it would look like.  The top pouch is the pattern that I had to go by.  Hers was torn and the strap was ripped out.  The strap acts as a handle or a wrap.

I made one and it was so-so, then I made a second one.  I showed it to my friend and she fell in love with it.  So I made a couple more and I will give her the choice of which one she likes.

From her are the directions of the pouch.  You insert your passport into the zipped pocket and any monies or change you have can be inserted into the velcro closed side pocket.  The strap is fastened around your bra strap and then the pouch is placed in your bra.  Since pass ports get stolen so easy and are an important document, she and others think this is a great way to store and still have handy when needed.

Friends have you used pass ports, what do you think????

until the next, have a great week

Memory Pillow

My dear friend lost her husband a short time ago.  I made this Memory Pillow from one of his shirts, she fell in love with it.  I have made a few since then. I did  make one from a T shirt, however, I was not pleased with the outcome so I really only want to make them in cotton or cotton blend.

I finished my extra 12 pouches for Sandra's friend in San Diego, these are the last two. 

 Next on my list is an order for three passport holders.  I am making a pattern from the one the customer has.  She wants to replace them with new fabric.  I will post a photo when finished.

Have a good week, you all  !!!!!!

Daughter requested this bag

My daughter Karen, asked me to make her a handbag, I chose this Laura Burch fabric, the fabric is more vivid than what it shows.  I also made her a change purse.  I am so happy that she was

pleased to use it and show it off.

I also have just finished  making 25 more small pouches for a friend of Sandra's,  she liked them so much she has requested 12 more.  I do enjoy making them.  I do try to make each one different, so far I think I have accomplished doing so.

Until when, lol

Zippered Pouches mounting up for Customers

These pouches were made for the local Red Hat Society, we had a game day and these were favors for each lady attending.  They went over really big and all was very happy.