Equal Time & Fun Mail

Annie pointed out to me today that Jasper has had much more blog space than she has been given. So in the interest of harmony among the felines here is a picture of Annie sleeping on Jim's legs. This is a common scene in our living room if we are watching television together. Annie with Jim and Jasper with me.

Today's mail brought the lovely batik butterfly fabric from Holly. It is gorgeous. I've been looking at it all afternoon wondering what to make with it. Thanks, Holly.


Tomorrow the Detroit Tigers' spring training game will be on the radio! Can't wait to hear those familiar sounds of spring even if the snow is still covering the ground outside.

Ironing Board

Libby asked to see pictures of our ironing boards. Jasper loves to sleep on mine and looks like he is saying, "What do you mean this is YOUR ironing board?" Luckily, I have a small board I can use for pressing blocks. It's usually quite an ordeal to convince Jasper that I need the ironing board for a quilt.

Niki's 'Ventures is having a giveaway if you comment on her post and link to it on your blog. I had promised to do this and just noticed I hadn't linked.

Playing

Our UGRR group is now meeting at The Quilted Cottage to sew quilts for the UGRR shelter. Their set-up is wonderful and we can shop when we take a break. We layered and birthed and tied several quilts on Friday from 10-3. I turned in the kitty top. Then at 6:00 I was back at the shop for another Fantastic Friday. We were each given a cute Valentine fabric fat quarter and the dinner was grilled white fish, baked potato, salad and peach cobbler. Connie won the first drawing of the evening which was a coordinating fabric to the Valentine FQ. I continue my no win streak for FF.


Stashbusting - I cut five yards of assorted fabrics (mostly novelty prints) to make Bonnie's Scrappy Trips quilt. I worked on a few blocks Friday night, but they seem too busy to me. Maybe the novelties weren't a good idea for this pattern or I need to stand way back when I look at them. What do you think? I made the photo small to protect your eyes.

Jasper likes to sleep on my legs or lap when I'm sitting in my chair. He really stretched himself out today while I was trying to do the stitchery on the applique blocks from several posts ago. At one point, he almost fell through, but he caught himself just in time.

Another Day

So I switched just two of the blocks so that the dark ones weren't all on the right side of the quilt. I also added sashing and cornerstones around the outside edges. I think it's big enough now so I won't add a border. There is probably enough kitty fabric left to make another one. However, I'm usually not a fan of doing anything more than once. Maybe I'll try a Disappearing Nine Patch with the leftovers?



There are several bloggers working on the blocks from The Civil War Diary books by Rosemary Youngs. It's fun seeing the fabrics chosen by everyone for each block. I'm so tempted to start, too, but I have so many UFOs to finish first.

Frog Stitching

Yesterday I sewed the blocks to make a quilt for the UGRR. Good thing I took a digital picture before I sewed them together. Somehow in the row assembly, something was switched around and now there are too many dark blocks on the right side. I didn't notice until I went to take a picture this evening. So tomorrow I'll be doing a bit of frog stitching - rip it, rip it, rip it.

The kitty fabric was bought at JoAnn's several years ago, but I never knew how to use it. The other day I saw a charity quilt pictured on somebody's blog (can't remember where) and I thought the setting would work for my kitty fabric. I also found the sashing pieces in a pile of fabric that was waiting to be folded and put in its proper place so it just seemed like the right time to sew this quilt. I think the bottom two rows are in the correct position, but the other rows are a jumbled mess. Where's Mr. Seam Ripper?

We Have A Winner & Stash Report

Well, there's nothing like a giveaway to increase your comments! It took six pages to get all of the names printed for the drawing. I wish I had more than one bundle of fat quarters. Jim drew out the slip of paper with the name of "Ruthie". So if Ruthie will contact me with your snail mail address, I'll get those hearts on the way to your house.



Stash Busting Report - I made a top for the UGRR and also cut fabrics for a strip quilt. I'd estimate about 4 yards of fabric was used this week and none bought. I'm back on track, although I did enjoy the slip last week.

Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day to everyone! I hope you get enough good chocolate today. This morning was Closeline Club at my LQS and they had some Moda Valentine fabric packs right by the check out counter. So I decided to give one of those away for my one year blogiversary. I tried to fan the fabrics a bit so you can see what's in there. If you'd like a chance to receive the fabrics, please leave a comment on this post. I will draw a name on Sunday.

Three more giveaways

If you're looking to win some quilting books, Studio-259 is having a giveaway on her blog.

Jill from Ramblings of a Quilt Obsessor has several offerings in her giveaway to celebrate her 200th blog post/

Karen at Yellow Farmhosue is giving away a quilt and a pattern in celebration of her birthday.

Aren't quilting bloggers generous people?

More Fabric

Today was Bee day at Jane's house. Connie and I swapped the other half of our Fantastic Friday purchases. Oh, I love those repros. Connie has her Carolina Crossroads quilt top together now. It is made from reproduction pinks and browns and is simply gorgeous.
I finished a little quilt today that was made of leftover pieces from a siggie swap on the Jo Morton Yahoo list. My siggies aren't put together yet, but the extras are now a bonus quilt. I love Jo Morton's fabrics and patterns.

Stash Report

I didn't post the last two Sundays about my stash busting. No fabric entered my house during that time and I did finish the little winter swap quilt all from my stash. But this week...my quilt shop is now carrying repros! What could I do? I need to support my LQS and they looked so nice together on the shelves. Connie and I were at Fantastic Friday at the shop and each chose four bolts of lights and four bolts of darks. We had one yard cut of the darks and a half yard of the lights. We are cutting both sets in half and sharing tomorrow at Bee. Before we left, they had cut a couple of containers full of FQs. A few of them jumped into our bags, too. And since I had already fallen off of the wagon, I also got a yard of a nice background and 2 1/2 yards of a red and green checked which were both half price. I'll try again this week.

Seven More Random Things About Me

Referring back to my last post, I had to really think to come up with seven additional random things about me since Jan tagged me.

THE RULES:
1. Once you are tagged, link back to the person who tagged you.
2. Post THE RULES on your blog.
3. Post 7 weird or random facts about yourself on your blog.
4. Tag 7 people and link to them.
5. Comment on their blog to let them know they have been tagged.

1. I am the oldest of five children.
2. In grade school, I was a cheerleader.
3. I love to make miniatures and small blocks, both pieced and applique.
4. I have never had a traffic ticket. (that will probably come back to haunt me)
5. I enjoy doing jigsaw puzzles and playing card games.
6. I have never broken any bones in my body.
7. I am horizontally surface challenged.

I will tag Anne from Quiltoholic Wendy from Snippets of a Quilter, Wenche from Wenche's Pieces of Time, Dot at Rantala Rags, Carol from Brown Quilts, Veronica at Hairdresser by day, quilter by night, and last but not least, Karen from Sew Primitive Quilter.

This is how Jasper expected me to sew this afternoon. When he wants attention, he'll do anything to get noticed.

Missed Blogiversary

I can't believe I missed my one year blogiversary! I knew my first post was in February, but didn't remember it being as early in the month. May Britt encouraged me to start a blog after I commented how much I enjoyed reading hers and others. I need a giveaway to celebrate the occasion. Stay tuned for more info.

Tonight is Fantastic Friday at the local quilt shop. I have nothing ready yet to work on. There are so many choices. It's just a matter of what kind of mood I'm in tonight. They are forecasting more snow tonight which we really don't need. I'm thankful, though, that snow is all we have. The tornado damage in the south was just terrible with so many lives lost.

I've been working on some applique blocks using fabrics from a challenge that is due
by April. The fabrics were packs from Keepsake Quilting several years ago. It was difficult to get inspired, but I finally tried making some blocks from "Applique Designs - My Mother Taught Me To Sew" by Faye Anderson. The blocks aren't trimmed or pressed and still need embroidery added, but they are growing on me. Now what to do as far as setting them. I want to do two more blocks so I'll have nine in all.

Jan has tagged me for 7 Random Things About Me.
THE RULES:
1. Once you are tagged, link back to the person who tagged you.
2. Post THE RULES on your blog.
3. Post 7 weird or random facts about yourself on your blog.
4. Tag 7 people and link to them.
5. Comment on their blog to let them know they have been tagged.
I will answer this in my next post as it will take some thinking on my part.

Answering the questions for which Jane Austen heroine I am most like, it says I'm Elinor Dashwood.

Take the Quiz here!

The Calico Cat

The Calico Cat (Amy) had my name for the Four Seasons Quilt Swap! Her sweeet, little quilt of snowmen squares arrived along with some extra fabric all tied up in a ribbon with bells. Amy said I was seeing some of her cat collection fabric! Thanks so much, Amy. I really enjoyed participating in the swap.

February BOM

Bea posted her BOM stitchery for February. I stitched it yesterday and am really enjoying these blocks.