Busy week - but not quilting!

I've been working hard the past few days - but not getting a lot of quilty stuff done.   I did do this block for a Pizza box block exchange for one of my quilt groups.  Hope Judy likes it!  It is very bright and cheery!  In this exchange, everyone supplies the fabric and the blocks are to be 12"x12" finished, and you can't see your blocks until everyone else in the group has made one for you. Can't wait to see mine! 

I've done a lot of frogging on a quilt I'm quilting - got a pleat in the batting.   I've discovered that for every 5 minutes of quilting, you can do hours of unsewing!!! Sure does cut into the time I get to play in the studio.

One of the other things I'm attempting to do in my studio is to fold and organize my fabric.  This is an example of one bin of fabrics - I have collected batiks for a long time, and started out folding them neatly and putting them in this bin.   But I've used some of them and for some reason they have gotten out of hand.  I need the fabric fairies to visit my studio and clean it up!!!

Checking in

I haven't posted in a while - been very busy.  My studio is a mess! Organization is escaping me these days, so I really need to spend a couple of hours cleaning up.  I finished the John Deere quilt, and have a "Trip around the World" quilt on the machine now.  It is very large - and is taking lots of time.  I am quilting it with a freehand flower pattern and was doing great until I discovered a pleat in the batting.  So now I am frogging! 

My stepmother is in the hospital in west Texas, so I made a flying trip there this week.  She is doing much better, and I am glad I got to go to see her and the rest of the family.  You don't always realize just how much family is important until you have a crisis.  Then it is amazing how everyone comes together and supports each other.  I got to see several people that I haven't seen in a while, and got to meet some others that I had only heard great stories about from my stepmom.  She is a great lady and is loved by everyone!  I am so blessed that she is a part of our family. 

Tomorrow will be another Family Work/Play day at our house.  The playhouse that is under construction in the backyard is coming along nicely, and that will be the focus in the morning.  I think I heard that it is now completely insulated and the siding will be put on next.  The roof still needs shingles, then will come painting.  Picking out a paint color will be an interesting project.  My hubby want to paint it to match the other buildings, but the grandkids have other ideas!  If they have their way, it might be bright red!  My sister sent goodies for the grandkids - battery operated lamps (since it is not wired for electricity), a doorbell and rug for the porch of the playhouse.  I'll try to post a pic of the rug later - it is shaped like a frog - so cute.   

The pic is of the playhouse with most of the insulation installed - last weekend, I think.

Tonight I plan on working on the studio and planning a nice lunch for the family tomorrow.  I hope that everyone has a great weekend. 

Catching up...

The Church quilt is finished and Glenda is binding it!  Yeah!  I think it turned out ok.  I'll add pics when it is finished!  The "costume" is also finished - it was a satin "poodle type skirt"  without the poodle.  Instead it had a bright orange guitar on it with musical notes made of fabric with lots of glitter.  I also made a vest using the same fabric, with a sparkly organza overlay.  Both of these garments had black fringe, and sequins.  After breaking 5 -( yes, 5) sewing machine needles trying to sew on the sequins, I hand sewed the rest.  Did I mention that both garments were black.  My eyes really need a break.  And my studio has lots of sequins and glitter on the floor.  I need to clean the ironing board, too - there's glitter there!

I was up at 5AM this morning to finish the costume.  When I finished, it was not quite 7AM, so I put a quilt on the Gammill - I'll take a pic tonight - it is a John Deere quilt that I'm quilting for my friend, Sonya.  It is really cute - Sonya said she is a new quilter, but she does nice work for a beginner!   I also went home for lunch today, and spent about thirty minutes in the studio winding bobbins and organizing stuff so I can quilt tonight.   Our family summer party is this Saturday, so I should be making brownies and cookies, but I think I can squeeze in an hour for quilting.

Father's Day was great - we had all the kids over (except for the Seattle contingent) and had a great time.  We grilled burgers, planned a little for the party, and played games.  I had gone to Hamm's Orchard this past week, so we had fresh peach cobbler and blackberries with ice cream.  Yum.  (Note to self - resume diet!)

Forgot to mention that my sister and her husband were here for a couple of days last week.  It is always good to see them.  We went shopping one day, and had a wonderful time visiting.  I don't get to see her often enough.

I don't like unsewing!

I've been busy putting the "Church Quilt" on my Gammill this past week.  This quilt is one that my small quilting group donates to the church where we meet each year as a thanks for letting us use the facility.  The top was donated by my friend, Judy, to the club and I get to quilt it this year.  I've been a little nervous about this.  I've quilted for myself and for gifts, but this is different!  I asked Judy how she would quilt it and she told me to put it on the machine and let it talk to you.  This has been one silent quilt!  I tried sweet talking it, scolding it, and even threatening it, but ..... nothing.  I picked out thread.  Still nothing.  I finally picked out a pantograph and set it up, and stitched about three inches - and something screamed "NO" - was it the quilt?  We'll never know.  I stopped and am now in the process of "unsewing" the stitches I made.(Note the seam ripper near the corner of the quilt!)  Starting over.  To make matters worse, it is about 90 degrees hot in my studio.  The AC is being replaced (bless those AC installers who are braving 100 degree heat in my attic right now!)  So - I am moving downstairs to the dining room (where it is a comfy 77 degrees) to cut out a skirt for the play that is to take place at the end of the month.  Gotta get moving on it.  Hubby is playing in a golf tourney today, so I have the house to myself (except for the AC guys), so I should get some serious sewing and quilting done.  I could clean the house instead, but ......

I got to do some quilty stuff tonight!  I put the binding on the old quilt that I am finishing for my friend, Mary.  Now I just have to do the hand sewing, which could take me several days!  My hubby has been watching the Ranger game and my dog, Chico, has been sticking close to him.  It has been a very relaxing evening.

Busy Week!

I have done very little quilting this past weekend - it was Mother's Day and I spent it with family.  I did get the binding done on a quilt for my son-in-law.  I'm so slow when it comes to bindings, and I'm always so anxious to get the quilt finished that it seems that much slower!  I've had lots to do at my day job, and meetings at night, so I'm really ready to get some quilting done.  But... the AC upstairs in my studio is on the blink - the repairman is due this week to put a new unit in for the second floor.  It is a bit warm up there - but I just might brave the heat and get that binding made and attached for the quilt for my friend.  Then I can bring the quilt downstairs for the handwork!

I visited with my accounting guru about setting up my quilting business last week.  I have a lot to do!  But it is exciting to begin a new endeavor.