A bit of Quilting

My DH saw the pile of quilt blocks I had dug out of the closet was thinking of making pillows out of them and giving them to the Barron Center (the nursing home my Gran's at for those not familiar with my area). He looked at me and basically told me not to be so silly. Just go to the fabric store and match up the colours and make some lap quilts. It would bring you closer to what you orginally wanted to do with them. So here's three of the squares I've been working on. Above is called Old Maid's Puzzle. I've seen many variations of this with differant names. The purple is a little washed out in the photo.
Here is Card Tricks.

And this here is Clay's choice. I also have some blocks with these two colours reversed. Just not available for photos. Neither is Puss 'N the Corner which the top quilt is done but in the bedroom and DH is sleeping before his shift. I will still have to make a few of the quilt squares from so long ago (about 8 years or so). I couldn't match a few colours so they are definately slated for the pillows. Don't ask why three of them are all christmas colours, I have no idea what was going through my mind back then. To make a shift in colours I've also dug out my double Irish chain with black background with red and teal as the accents. No photo, I had half of this one done before it up and disappeared. Probably in the same place the wedding ring quilt top I did for a friend of mine's first wedding anniversary went. I have a small apartment you wouldn't think it could hide for this long and that one has been missing for about 9 years. There must be a vortex here, if i could find those missing socks I'll probably find the quilt tops. Anywho, I restarted it a few months back and it's a nice break from the greens and reds.
Here is the completed Arsenal quilt you lot had to hear me ranting about while doing the squares. A lady named Jan bought the fabric and quilted it. Didn't she do a wonderful job? I think so. The Lynn Nicoletti quilt I helped with is also finished but since I don't have permission to post that photo anywhere I won't show you. But will ask if I can for next time.


This has been a very hectic and stressful year for me and a bit for the immediate family. It has not only kept me from blogging as much as I would've liked but also from keeping up with all the friends I've made. So I'll just post when I can and hope I can find some extra time soon to float over to some of your blogs.

The most recent scare was a few weeks ago when my Gram was rushed to the hospital and the only info I had the next morning was from my hysterical mother who only knew what was on her answering machine. What do they expect from a 2am call? She ended up having surgery for bowel blockage. she was in hospital for a week then out a week before she was rushed back in for the same symptoms. But luckily it was a false alarm, they sent Gram home (nursing home) without telling my mother who was due to go in and sign papers, that all she had was an air bubble in the tract. This added to her dementia and childlike behaviour it's getting really depressing to see her going down hill like this. This is the woman who raised me yet she no longer looks like her, acts like her and will rarely talk. She hasn't spoken to me directly in over a year but mom and the nursing home says she will get a few words out when she's adament enough. Though Mom did tell me that the black kitty cat I bought for Gram after the surgery has been seen sitting on Grammies lap and being petted quite often.

work wise we are understaffed and selling more rooms than we should be this time of the year. But it seems worse since we're all saddled with alot of extra rooms which has been pulling my back out again, not that this cold damp and soon to get damper weather is helping any. But that comes with the territory. Not fun but expected.

Kim, if you by chance read this, did you get my email about the blocks? I'm not sure if you've been busy or if I screwed up the addie somehow. I have your other addie. I could resend it there if you want.

Hope all of you are warm and keeping safe with all these floods, fires and all happening.

Some more finishes

I actually got off my butt and started to finish off a few ornaments that had collected this past year. Above is Christmyth's Dragon, Giant and Salamander all three are flat finishes with attempts at making things differant. My Christmas Pear is my first attempt at using mat board and batting. Aside from forgetting to sign before I started cutting and glueing and that I realized I needed thicker cording too late....I'm happy with the outcome. There's a few more ornaments that I'm going to finish off with this method once I find some more cording thick enough.
The last four blocks for the Tall Ships quilt I promised OECS. Yea!!! Now to finish off the logo square and I can get them all off in a mailer. Two quilts promised down and two to go.
I actually finished stitching this I believe September of last year. But don't quote me on that one. This is On Butterfly Wings. I finally got DH to frame this a few weeks ago but I had too many new finishes to share so this one kept getting back listed.. Only promised it to my mother for her birthday then as a mother's day gift. Couldn't decide on what colour matting would go with this fabric (Silkweaver's Dusk) so we went with no matting.
This piece is Tales of Wonder by Dragon Dreams. It was a freebie from the Caron Collection site. Jennifer was spotlighted a few years ago and did this as a free pattern. If interested let me know and I'll find the link and send it to you unless you prefer to scroll through yourself. There's some interesting spotlights and I saved a few patterns from people I'd never heard of. Once it's framed it'll go to a little boy I know who loves dragons and castles and all so I'm hoping this will make a good Christmas present for him. And two new stitches for me in here. A very easy stitch.

I didn't realize I'd hadn't posted anthing for just about two weeks. Things have just been so crazy. Attended the POW/MIA recognition day on the 16 of September since the actual day was a friday we didn't think we'd have a good turn out. Not bad though this was the first Rolling Thunder event since Pam passed away, but we had a fairly good turn out. The day was so nice, and standing around listening to speakers wasn't on everybody's list to do. I wasn't able to go to the toy drive for veteran's children this past Saturday but was told by DH and a few others that it went well. Completely filled the back of a pickup truck. Will probably find out more on Sunday which is our next meeting.
Caught a cold a few days after the burial and I havent' been able to shake it completely. It's trying desperately to become a chest cold and with my respitory problems that isn't good. Haven't had it this bad in a number of years. This doesn't boed(sp) well for this winter. Bad tension headaches and boarderline migraines have been issues as well lately. I have no idea what's causing that all of a sudden. Too much stress no doubt.

Question. To any and all who have used the styrophom blocks to finish off pieces...what is the trick to this? I've put together one and I'm not too happy with the over all put together so I haven't put the legs on incase I decied to pull it all apart and make it into an ornament. Email me if you want indepth ranting.....er more info on problems occured. I'd like to finish this one and another one on these blocks and they'd make good use for a few others I have in the que but until I get it figured out I may drop the whole finish technique all together.

Thank-you all for your warm wishes and concerns. They are much appreciated.

Currently Reading: Doctor Who: Father Time by Lance Parkin (re-read)

Currently Stitching: OECS Logo

Currently Listening to: Miranda Lambert