So Very Lucky

Well Irene has come and gone and we feel so lucky. Our whole neighborhood is damage free while a lot of our county has flooded basements and downed trees. Our housing development is only 5 years old so maybe not having a bunch of huge trees really helped us.

Our power went out early in the day saturday but only for about 90 minutes, then back on for the next six hours so we were glad to have that power so we could watch the progression of the storm on the TV.

About 8 p.m. saturday night when the wind was really going to town we lost out power and it stayed out until 6:00 p.m. sunday night. Not fun but considering over 50,000 people in our county are still without power it wasn't bad.

We have a small generator so once the storm was over we started that and hooked it up to the refrigerator and freezer so we wouldn't lose all our frozen foods. Next priority was hooking up the coffee pot so that we could have our morning coffee, yummmmmmmmmm.

Late yesterday afternoon we took a drive by our old house and that neighborhood looks like a war zone. Trees down on houses, cars, a shed and they had many that had been across just about every road and the middle of the trees had been cut and managed to get those parts to the sides of the rows so people can get out. When Isobell hit in 2002 I think we were without power back there for 5 1/2 days and it wasn't near as bad as it looks this time.

No school today so that tosses me off schedule but think it was a smart decision. I think a lot of the neighborhoods buses couldn't even get into safely right now and there are still downed power lines everywhere.

Well I know I have at least an hour work in the sewing room before I can even think of working on any projects. I put craft show boxes, bolts of batting all up before the storm in case we got water in the basement so will have to put everything back today.

Kathie

Waiting for Irene

I am glad that with hurricanes you have plenty of warning to get prepared etc. but then the waiting, knowing it is going to hit but not knowing how bad is hard. I get a little jittery thats for sure.

I doubt I will be on here to do a stash report tomorrow so will include it with next weeks numbers. I have bought nothing this week and have not used a lot (but several things in process) so wouldn't have had a whole lot to report anyway.

I quilted 2 customer quilts and a craft show quilt this week, started cutting squares to make a backing and worked some on my 9 patch blocks so I have accomplished a fair amount.

Going to get my ironing and a couple other things done I want to make sure ang get done before/or if we lose power and then put all my boxes of craft show items up off the floor in the basement. Hopefully water in the basement will not be an issue with this house but you never know.

Everyone take care and stay dry.

Kathie

Split Decision

I quilted one of my projects yesterday, this small Split Decision lap quilt. One more thing semi done. I will have to figure out something for the binding, maybe a scrappy binding out of a bunch of my leftovers.

I also have 10 of my 9-patch blocks in process and have been cutting up the UFO border into squares that will become part of the backing.

All pre-hurricane errands have been run, all cars gassed up, food in the cabinet and outdoor furniture securred. Hope that being prepared will make it NOT be a very big issue here.

The last hurricane (my first) that hit this area was I think in 2002. Our neighborhood at the time had lots of downed trees, water in lots of basements and we were without power for 5 1/2 days, not a fun time since cooking was electric and we had a well so no power meant no water either. My husband thinks I am being a worry wart about this storm but I would rather be that than unprepared.

My good wishes go out to everyone in North Carolina (my step daughter included) where they expect the worse damage.

Kathie

Back on Schedule

Think I will be getting back on schedule/routine pretty quickly with school having started yesterday. I did a couple of things around the house, followed by early morning errands and then spent several hours in the sewing room.

I quilted this quilt for Carol yesterday. She calls it a use it all quilt because she uses everything and anything that she has in her scrap piles. This one is more organized as she used mainly patriotic prints and colors but it was still pretty much everything she had in that category from little pieces to a few unused pinwheels.

Having SO MANY tiny seams meant having to go a little slower with the quilting.

I did sit down and make out a quilting "to do" list for just the rest of the week. I wanted to get:
1. Carol's quilt quilted
2. Large outside border unsewn from UFO of the month
3. Start working on 9 patches for workshop
4. Start piecing a backing for Christmas quilt

I have done good so far, #1 and #2 are done. I got about half of the fabric cut for the 9 patch blocks done also but have not worked on #4 yet.

Guess I should save cutting out fabrics for the weekend in case we get some of the hurricane. Can cut during that but don't want to be running the long arm or my good sewing machine if there is a chance of power surges.

kathie

Senior Year

Oh gee, I am very glad that school starts today but was surprised after she left for school that I got choked up.

Today is the first day of her senior and I know how fast this year will go and that before I know it we will be packing her up to go away to college. Where have the years gone?

Yesterday sure was an interesting day. I got the next customer quilt partially loaded on the frame and a couple of bindings sewing on. Decided to go run some errands with the daughter and then sit down and watch a movie with her to enjoy her last day of summer.

Towards the end of the movie is when the earthquake hit. I have been in several so I knew what it was but my brain was still saying NO, that we don't have those here in Maryland. It felt like our whole house was swaying, not a fun feeling.

Both of us plus Sammy (the cat) were kind of shook up after that.

A few errands this morning then I need to do my quilting "to do" list and then get working on the customer quilt.

kathie

Last Day of Summer

School starts tomorrow so this is officially the last day of summer in our household.

Tomorrow I need to sit down and make up my list of quilting goals. I need to make/finish up tons more craft show items, have customer quilts to do, 9 patch blocks to make for an upcoming workshop and maybe try to wedge in at least one charity quilt a month to quilt.

Hopefully with less doctors appointments (I hope anyway) and less distractions I will get a whole lot done.

Yesterday I was busy with a customer quilt and taking my daughter out for a back to school lunch that I totally forgot to post my "design wall monday" blogging. It would have been a blank wall anyway so you didn't miss anything. The only projects for myself I have been working on the last couple of days are trying to get bindings machine sewn on several runners and a Christmas quilt that have been quilted and in a pile awaiting the bindings.

Enjoy your day.

Kathie

Sunday Stash Report - August, whatever 2011

Yes I don't remember what the date is and to lazy feeling this morning to go look it up on a calendar.

I did great with my stash reduction this week. I got lots of table runners quilted (8 I think), a few other tops completed and a couple of other little things done and I STAYED out of quilt and fabric shops.

Here are a couple of the table runner tops that I made.

Stats for the week are:

Fabric used this week: 11 yards
Fabric used YTD: 198.5 yards
Fabric purchased this week: 0
Fabric purchased YTD: 140.5

Net fabric used for 2011: 58 yards, at least this is moving back in the right direction.

Hubby and I survived our daughters party last night for her ballet class. A few of the girls couldn't make it so we ended up with about 16 girls (14 to 18 years old). They seemed to have a great time but oh boy, what noise. Everyone talking and laughing at the same time. Luckily we had the basement and the back deck to escape to.

Today will have to finish the clean up, a couple of errands and hopefully get a customer quilt loaded on the frame.

Kathie

Friday I think

Well I guess it is friday, been kind of off schedule all week.

I have been working away on lots of craft show table runners. Got a few quilted, some bound and a few I stitched around fused motifs. Nice progress on all of them.

I have also been straightening up the house for Mandy's end of the summer party tomorrow night with her dance class. I was going to put a quilt away that was sitting out in the process of being bound but decided to sit down and finish the binding instead. This is a neon cat quilt made with my favorite pattern Warm Wishes.

Well school schedules came out on line last night. Of course Mandy's is messed up. I know with trying to schedule classes around an early dismissal so she can take her college class is hard but gee....... they didn't give her enough classes (have to take at least 3 at the high school and one at college for graduation requirement).

Now to try and contact the counselor to get things straightened out. Schedules just came out last night, no one working in the office at the high school today (budget cuts), phone system is messed up and you can't leave a voice mail and oh yea, school starts wednesday!! Sure hope she can get an appointment monday or tuesday so it is straightened out before she starts school.

Oh and the kicker, her AP Psychology class that she did TONS of homework for this summer, she doesn't have the class!!! It must not be available except late in the day when she will be at college but isn't there some way of figuring that out and letting the kids know BEFORE 2 work days before school starts!!!

Ok, enough venting. Off to get ready to run an errand and then take Mandy for a re-check of her tonsils. She says her throat is finally doing much better today and she was able to eat something other than soft soft foods.

Kathie

Being Home

I guess being kind of stuck at home is good for something, I am doing some good stash reduction this week. I have quilted six table runners which means lots of backing fabrics used and I also have made several additional table runner tops. Since they all involved things fused on them will have to stitch around all the motifs before I can quilt any of those.

Mandy's healing from her tonsils is going slower than either of us hoped for. No problems, just slow healing and still hurts a lot. I know she isn't feeling well but also think she is taking advantage of having someone to wait on her. I have a couple of appointments tomorrow so she will have to fend for herself, and I am sure she will do just fine.

A week from tomorrow school starts, I know I am ready.

Kathie

Design Wall Monday, August 15, 2011

This isn't actually on my design wall this morning but it was the last thing that was on it. I got the borders on the Christmas Sampler quilt, got it quilted and even cut the binding strips. Need to make up the binding and clean off the sewing table before I can get the binding on it.

Currently the sewing room is a mess with five Christmas table runners in various stages of completion so once those tops are finished I hope to get this binding done.

My daughter is still recovering from having her tonsils out on friday so I will probably be staying at home again today. Have not been out of the house since we got home from the hospital friday so I know by tomorrow I will HAVE to go somewhere! I have been sewing and doing some household chores between nurse duties as she has been sleeping a lot of the time.

Kathie

Sunday Stash Report - 14 August 2011

This stash report is for two weeks and I did do some major stash enhancement. We took a few days and went to Fredericksburg, VA and then to the Virginia Beach/Norfolk area. Daughter and her friend liked to do the beach and hubby and I liked to cruise the fabric shops and thrift stores.

All the fabric I purchased was Christmas fabrics so hope to use up most or all of it over the next several weeks for craft show table runners.

My stats for the last two weeks are:

Fabric last 2 weeks: 7.5 yards (half of it was a backing)
Fabric used YTD: 187.5 yards
Fabric purchased last 2 weeks: 13 yards (all Christmas fabrics)
Fabric purchased YTD: 140.5
Net fabric used in 2011: 47

So.......... my NET has been going down but my stash is fresher and I have plenty of new fabrics for my craft shows so it is all good.

Kathie

Finally Some Quilting

Finally something quilt related to talk about. While we were on vacation Jane dropped off a charity quilt that she had finished the binding on. I cut these donated State Floral Fabrics into half square triangles and then made up several kits. This is the first one completed. It was pieced by Louise, quilted by myself and bound by Jane. This will eventually go to hospice.

I took some bindings on vacation with me and did get the binding finished on my duck quilt. Nice to have a finish.

Today while Mandy is sleeping most of the day on the sofa from pain medicines I am spending time downstairs trying to finish quilting my Christmas quilt and checking on her ever so often. Tonsils are never fun to get out, sure hoping this will make her healthier.

Kathie

Tonsils

Tonsils are out and Mandy (and mom) are doing ok. I am definitely a worry wart and hardly slept last night thinking about my "baby" having surgery this morning. They changed the time on us so we had to be at the hospital around 5:30 this morning.

We were home before noon. Couldn't believe it!! Back a million years ago when I had my tonsils out they kept you over night.

I was tired from lack of sleep and wanting to stay within hearing distance I have not got much accomplished today. A few trips up the stairs with drinks and popcycles, a couple of household chores, an attempted nap (phone rang etc.) and finished the binding on my duck baby quilt.

Think I will make sure she is drinking plenty of water and then sit down and work on another binding.

Kathie

Vacation

Got back from vacation last night. We had taken Mandy and a friend of hers to Kings Dominion theme park saturday followed by a few days in the Virginia Beach/Norfolk area. It was HOT the whole time, around 100 degrees. Too warm for me.

I think the kids had a good time at the beach while we visited a few fabric and thrift stores. I did do some stash enhancement while we were on vacation. Went to a Virginia Beach JoAnn fabrics, a Hobby Lobby (heard about them but never been in one) and a fabric store called The Fabric Hut that I visit every time I am in that area.

Since I didn't do a stash report last sunday since we were gone I will put those purchases on this sunday and will make it a two week report.

I did finish a couple of bindings I took with me while on vacation but that is the only sewing I have been doing.

Today will be playing catch up around the house and tomorrow Mandy gets her tonsils out so doubt there will be much sewing for the next few days.

Glad to be home.

Kathie

Free Pattern

At the Hershey Quilt show on saturday I saw a really cute quilt made up and went in search of the pattern. A booth had them, but only as a kit and I like to pick my own fabrics.

Anyway I saw it on a blog on monday and told the lady my story and she sent me the link to the pattern FREE this morning so thought I would pass it along. It is called Flurry and is so cute!

http://www.hancocks-paducah.com/ItemFiles/PDF/MPS27080.pdf


Kathie

Recent Projects

Well I have had a little time this week to work on my projects between customer quilts and doctors appointments.

This kids quilt I got quilted on tuesday. The colors look off in the picture. That is a bright lime green, not a puky yellow/green like it looks in the picture. This is using my favorite warm wishes pattern.

and I got the sashing complete on my Christmas sampler quilt. Now I just need to pick out a fabric for the border.

Lastly the number pulled in Judy L's UFO challenge for the month of August is 7. This is my UFO #7.

This was made as part of a row robin with several ladies in various parts of the country. I made it full sized using huge borders and then never did anything with it. My plan is to take off the borders and make it into a large lap sized quilt, get it quilted and bound. Will have only taken about 9??? years.

Kathie

Time to Piece

Spent ALL yesterday morning at the doctors office with my daughter. When you have a 10:15 appointment and they are ALREADY and hour and 15 minutes behind schedule you know someone is double booking appointments. I don't mind a short wait but they expect YOU to be on time, why can't they schedule better?

Anyway the appointment was a follow up on tonsilitis, to look at her tonsils in their "healthy" state. Since making the appointment she got sick again so is back on a new antibiotic and we are going to an ENT on thursday to discuss having them pulled. It is probably needed but wish the recommendation had been made the beginning of summer so that she could get them pulled before her senior year starts and also before the class at the community college starts that she is going to take.

I did get a small customer quilt quilted yesterday and then spent a little time working on my Christmas sampler quilt. I started sewing the sashing strips and decided to use gold for those after many comments on my blog that people thought it would be the best color.

NO doctors appointments for either of us today so hope to get my notes etc. ready for my quilt guild meeting tomorrow, a couple of errands run and hopefully time in the sewing room to continue with the sashing strips and to get something loaded on the frame.

Kathie

Design Wall Monday - August 1, 2011

I just can't believe it is August already, school will be starting before long!!

Have not had much time to do any piecing this week so my Christmas sampler quilt is still on my wall. At least I finally have all twelve blocks made and ready to start sashing them.