Still working on my room

I'm at a stand still at the moment in my sewing room.  My DIL became ill and we haven't had a chance to work in my room for a while.  We also ran into a road block of what do I do with my mom's stuff? I pick a container a day and try to go through it. Its not easy on me.  I'm debating what to do with the items that my sisters gifted me.  I may just put them in a closet and let them age a bit longer and then deal with them as I need to sew some shirts for the grandsons for school. I really just want to get back to sewing and quilting. I guess that putting stuff in the closet may be the best thing right now.

Thoughts about Quilting

I seem to have quilter's block.  Since we lost our girl, I just don't feel like sitting and running my machine.  She laid at my feet and kept me company while I sewed. 

My DIL has noticed that I'm not working on stuff and commented.  She asked me if maybe rearranging my room would help.  We would move stuff and just pick Kira's stuff up and put it away for now.  I really don't want to part with her stuff and the boys(Loki and Deedle) don't lay at my feet.  Loki has always laid behind my chair and Deedle lays in the doorway.  We have put up a baby gate so they can watch as we decide how to change the layout.  I may put some shelving in the closet and remove the doors(sliders) to store my fabric.  I think that moving my cabinet and putting the conference table behind it will give me some more room when I quilt larger items or sew clothes for the grands.  I'm hoping that this will spark some creativity for me.  It will give me some storage room under the table and I will also have room for friends to come over and stitch with me too.  I just need to measure and make sure that everything will fit into my 11' by 13.6' room.

I may also change my lighting as there is a single window and the room can be dark at night.  Currently there is overhead lighting (ceiling fan) with 3 bulbs.  I may put led light bulbs into it, as we did in our dining room.  That has made a major difference there.  I prefer to cut there now.  Time to get back to measuring and debating about where to put stuff.

Stash Report

I have done a little sewing lately.  I have my Jo Morton's Little Women Club quilt done.  I just need to finish sewing down the binding which I will do tonight at quilt guild.  I quilted it on my Bernina with out the stitch regulator.  It was the first time that I had tried to do it with out it.  I could use some practice.  I used a whole yard for this quilt.  I'm working on some blocks but I'm not counting them until I get the blocks completed.

Used this Week:                         1.00  yards
Used year to Date:                     2.25  yards
Added this Week:                       0  yards
Added Year to Date:                 16.50 yards
Net Used for 2014:                    14.25 yards


Please head over to visit Judy at Patchwork Times and see what some of the others are doing with their stash.

Sad Day

I'm sorry that I haven't written in a while but I have been spending time with Kira, our German shepherd.  We found out at Christmas time that she had cancer.  She had been doing great.  I was so happy to see her so active and playful.  Last Thursday, she stopped eating.  I took her to the vet and we changed her medication.  She seemed to feel better but still would not eat.  We went back to the vet and they gave her a shot to help her stomach stop jumping.  She still would not eat.  Yesterday morning she stopped drinking too.  Very hard to call the vet and let them know that she had given up.  We took her in for one last time and said our goodbyes to her.  It was very hard coming home to the two boys.  They have been looking for their girl.
Kira was a very active girl and didn't like to take no as an answer.  She is out of pain now.  I will miss my girl.

 Her favorite place to sleep - our bed.

 Playing with her stuffed toy

Princess Kira

Stash Report 3/2/2014

I did some sewing this week!  I worked on my Jo Morton's Little Women club quilt.  The top used a whole 1.25 yards of Jo Morton fabric.  I've been waiting for the tower to come in but it hasn't yet.  Its supposed to this week.
I'm hoping to make a couple of project Linus quilts this week as our area coordinator has put out a call for quilts.  She has run dangerously low.  I'm hoping to get a couple made and take them to her at guild in a little over a week.

Used this Week:                         1.25  yards
Used year to Date:                     1.25  yards
Added this Week:                       0  yards
Added Year to Date:                 16.50 yards
Net Used for 2014:                    15.25 yards


Please head over to visit Judy at Patchwork Times and see what some of the others are doing with their stash.

Stash Report Week 6

Nothing in and nothing out.  Not much going on in the quilting department.  I have a few ideas for some quilts but currently haven't had time to look at my machine. 
Hopefully the flu has finally run its course thru the family and we can all get back to good health.  I love my children and grandchildren but I wish that they would stop sharing with us. 
I did spend time with my father over the weekend.  We gave him a surprise 70th birthday party.  We actually pulled it off.  He was surprised that we could keep it from him.
We met for quilt guild and I was volunteered to make a new banner with our logo.  Our president thought that I needed something to do in my spare time.  She chose me to chair the banner project while I was answering my husband's question of what he could have for dinner.  Teach me to walk out of the room to answer my phone.  I don't mind too much as we have had the old one for 26 years.  It is getting a little frayed around the edges and we have changed our logo.

Used this Week:                         0  yards
Used year to Date:                     0  yards
Added this Week:                       0  yards
Added Year to Date:                 16.50 yards
Net Used for 2013:                    16.50 yards


Please head over to visit Judy at Patchwork Times and see what some of the others are doing with their stash.

Stash Report Week 4

No sewing that I can count yet.  Hopefully I can complete something this next week so my numbers change.  While I was at Jo Morton's Little Women Club, I got caught up in some buying and 4 yards followed me home.  Next time we go to club, our fat quarter towers will be coming home with us. I can't wait to see the fabrics and I'm not sure how many will be in the tower.

Used this Week:                         0  yards
Used year to Date:                     0  yards
Added this Week:                      4.0 yards
Added Year to Date:                 16.50 yards
Net Used for 2013:                    16.50 yards


Please head over to visit Judy at Patchwork Times and see what some of the others are doing with their stash.

Stash Report Week 3

Not much sewing going on.  I hope to remedy that this week as it is supposed to be cold and snowy.  I did break down and purchased some fabrics that I liked at the LQS while I was picking up fat quarters for the guild fabric exchange.  One of the DIL's was with me and I was reminded that the youngest grand son didn't have a quilt yet.  We saw a cute panel and before I knew it, I had picked up enough fabric to make him a quilt.  I also got some pretty batiks (I couldn't resist).  Hopefully that will be the end of my purchasing for a while but we will see as I start classes tomorrow night. 

Used this Week:                         0  yards
Used year to Date:                     0  yards
Added this Week:                      9.25 yards
Added Year to Date:                 12.50 yards
Net Used for 2013:                    12.50 yards


Please head over to visit Judy at Patchwork Times and see what some of the others are doing with their stash.

Stash Report 2

 Busy week with not much getting done.  I did go to one of the local quilt shops (we have 3) to their club night.  They introduce all their new clubs that they are starting for the year.  I signed up for Jo Morton's Little Women, Cobblestone Way (which is a row a month club in reproductions or batiks) and a swap.  Hopefully that will force me to do more quilting.  I did win a jelly roll as a door prize.  I also received 2 fat quarters for a late Christmas present from one of my friends.  So that puts me into the red.  I'd better get out of this slump and start sewing again. 
I hope that all of you slashing and not stashing.


Used this Week:                         0  yards
Used year to Date:                     0  yards
Added this Week:                      3.25  yards
Added Year to Date:                  3.25  yards
Net Used for 2013:                    3.25 yards


Please head over to visit Judy at Patchwork Times and see what some of the others are doing with their stash.

Stash Report Week 1

Nothing in and nothing out for this week.  I've started cutting for the scrappy blocks but I'm not counting until it is a flimsy(top).  The household has had a cold/stomach bug since Christmas and I haven't felt like doing too much.  I'm starting to feel better and the weather is crappy so I hope to get some quilting and sewing accomplished this week.

Used this Week:                        0  yards
Used year to Date:                    0  yards
Added this Week:                      0  yards
Added Year to Date:                  0  yards
Net Used for 2013:                    0 yards


Please head over to visit Judy at Patchwork Times.

Scrappy Quilt Blocks

I am taking Judy Laquidara from Patchwork Times Scrappy Block Challenge.  I've put my own twist on it as I'm using the blocks to make a project Linus quilt or a lap robe for the local senior home.  Our guild discovered that quite a few of the people that live there have no local family left.  We sent Christmas cards and tissue holders.  We are currently working on walker/wheelchair bags.  I have decided to make a few lap robes and texture quilts.  I just need to find my corduroy so that I can make a few up for the Alzheimer patients.  I'm also making a couple for my granddaughter's special need class.  She is a special need child as she isn't talking and she has an odd gate.
I will post pictures as soon as I get the blocks sewn together.  Currently they are just sitting on the cutting mat.  Tomorrow is another day.  Hopefully I can spend part of it cutting and sewing more blocks.

Happy New Year!

Well, the new year has started.  I've been ready for 2013 to end for a while.  I hope that 2014 is a better year than the past year has been.  Enough negative though.  Time for a new beginning. 
I hope that the new year will have more joy and happiness than tears and sadness. We know that Kira will be leaving us at some point in the year.  We are trying to prepare ourselves for her passing.  Right now we are keeping her happy and comfortable.
I plan on doing more sewing this year.  I'm trying to put together the guild newsletter so that it can go out tonight or tomorrow morning.  Then I can concentrate on the lap robes that I'm trying to get done for January 14th.  I would also like to get a few texture quilts done for Syracuse Home and my granddaughter's class.  She is in a special needs class as she will not talk and her gate is awkward.  She is capable of talking as she will occasionally but not very often.  She drops the first consonant and you really have to listen to her.  She gets very frustrated that we can't always understand her.  She is 3-1/2. We are working with her.
May your year be filled with love, joy, good health and happiness.  To a Happy New Year!