Busy Week!

Very busy week!  Trying to get client quilts done before I leave for Maryland.  And lots of other stuff going on too.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      First thing, this is the really cute Christmas postcard I received from Mary today as a part of our family exchange.  Really cute...love the tree lights!  Thanks Mary!

Then I'm getting a few things together for Christmas gifts.  Aren't these cute?  Actually, the one in the middle is not a gift...it's the one I'm keeping...lol.


Then this a  client quilt I finished earlier in the week.  I would have liked to do closer swags, but she preferred less, so that is what it is.  Still OK though I think.  I used the circle lord heartz templates for the hearts, Tracey Browning's' template for the swags, stencils for the other 2 borders, and ruler work and freehand for the rest. 

Fairfield bamboo/cotton batting and Superior So Fine thread.

And I don't know if I mentioned, but we sold our big sailboat.  The new owners are from Anchorage, Alaska;  and they arrived today.  We are helping them load and going over all the systems with them.  They will set sail on next Monday, bound for the Caribbean.

As I was removing our personal stuff off the boat in preparation for the new owners, I came across this little quilt that I keep on top of the linen chest in our stateroom.  This is where Sidney and Ira always sleep when we were underway.  I made this when we bought this boat 10 years ago, before we set off for the Caribbean on our adventures.





Needless to say, a few tears were shed when I came across this, it brought back many memories of all the wonderful travels on this boat with our beautiful Sid and Ira.

Such a bittersweet time.

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Black,white and red progress

Between working on client quilts, teaching classes, having company  and all that fun stuff called laundry and house cleaning; I have stolen a few moments to work on the black,white and red quilt.  As I posted before, all the black and white yo yo's are made; the shell buttons are all made and about half of them painted so far.  The lone red yo yo is made.                                                        

So now I'm working on the applique.  I have now finished the major applique elements of the center medallion, though there are still a  few elements left to do on this medallion.  But the biggest part of it is done. To give you an idea of scale...the center medallion size is 42 inches square...finished size.  Feels good to have gotten this much done!   

Tons more to do on this quilt top though; this is only the center medallion....Will I be able to get the top completed  by Dec 31st??  It's gonna be really close!

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Just checking in...

We've had company since last weekend.  Always nice to see old friends.  I have gotten a little work done here and there but not too much... maybe I'll get a picture of the current one tomorrow.

Lots to get accomplished before I leave for Maryland and Mother's birthday celebration next Friday!  It'll be a busy week.

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The mad rush begins!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving.  Today begins the mad dash to Christmas in this country.  I have decided not to make myself crazy this year.  I am working on my last client quilt due before Christmas...it'll be done by Monday.  I am down to my last 3 client quilts due for our Guild show in February.  And I have actually started working on MY quilts for the 2009 show season!  Mary's quilt is done( except for binding) and ready for Mid Atlantic Quilt Fest (if it gets juried in); I'm almost finished my Christmas postcards.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    We have company coming in this weekend for a week or so; I leave for Maryland after that, and the weekend after I get home, more company coming.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       This is my November postcard for our family exchange.  My Internet connection was out, and then I forgot to post it, so here it is.  It is all felted wool.  A very funky turkey..lol

And this is the client quilt I finished a couple days ago.  Hope you like it Joyce!

Her mother cross stitched the center panel...Vicki, I know you'll appreciate that.  Joyce designed the quilt to fit the piece her mother had done.  A wonderful tribute, and I am honored to have been asked to quilt it.  Joyce won't get it until next Friday, but she'll be watching for these pictures.
I used Quilters Dream Wool batting and Superior's "So Fine" thread.
I did 'longarm feathers' in the blue and red borders, but 'formal feathers' (over the top feathers) in the beige border surrounding the cross stitch medallion. Pumpkin seed in the inner red border as well as the beige strip top and bottom.
There was a discussion a few days ago on MQR asking if plain old stippling was dead.  I don't think so.  While I love doing fancy background fills,  there are times when you just want the background to disappear.  Nothing does that better than tiny plain old stippling.  That was the effect I wanted for this quilt....and that plain old standby stippling did the trick.  
Thanks for joining me, and have a great night!

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Back online!

Our internet went out Sunday morning.  Comcast came today.  We have broadband (cable modem) into the house, and then I had set up a wireless network within the house, so that we could access the internet from anywhere without being 'wired'.  Well Sunday, the whole kit and kaboodle went down.  After an hour on the phone with comcast trying various fixes, and 2 hours on the phone with Linksys, and another hour with HP, still nothing.  Today, the comcast tech arrived. The problem was two-fold.  1st...our cable connection was very poor...the line coming into the house from across the street is bad.  So that means, they have to come dig up the street...re-lay all the lines and replace the lines to and within the house.   2 weeks till it's all done.  BUT, they were able to rig a temporary solution for the interum.                                              2nd....my wireless card inside my laptop computer croaked...so it doesn't recognize the wireless network within my house.  Well, crap!  And of course, the laptop is out of warranty.  So, my solution was to go to radio shack and buy a USB wireless adaptor.  Yahoo!   back in business again.  And hopefully with in 2 weeks all the land cables will have been replaced and we have a good, strong signal.

On the good news front,  I have finished the last quilt you saw a glimpse of...photos tomorrow or the next day. And I got this cute postcard from my Aunt Nancy as a part of our family Nov. exchange. 

Hers is much cuter than mine, which was also a turkey...only a freeform cut one out of felted wool.  I'll find the pictures and post them later.

Other than that, all is OK here and hopefully getting back to normal.

Have a great night!

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I've been tagged...twice!  1st by Gina, then by Randi.   Same theme.  Post the 4th picture of the 4th month of your blogaversary.   If I understood right, this is the photo.  A client quilt that I had just finished.  Very pretty quilt,  though I remember dodging all those 3-D elements!It's still cold here!  can you believe it?  It's getting real old, and Harry is really pissed!  This is seriously cutting into his lizard hunting, because he doesn't like to go out in the lanai when it's cold. So he stays inside, underfoot and whining.....

OK, back to the tag....I'm suppose to tag 4 others to do the same. Let's see; I tag Yvonne, Gayle, Barbara and Kay.

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I love feathers!

First, I got the first coat of paint on the buttons I had done.  Though Vicki pointed out they have only one hole...so I guess technically speaking, they aren't buttons.  I like the look of one hole better, and I'll be attaching them with a bead.Now the feathers...as I said, I LOVE feathers!  Especially small, dainty feathers. That is the other thing I did today.  This border is 2 inches wide.

I just love these baby feathers!  Granted, they aren't as quick...but look how cute they are.

Another cold night...fire is on, and the cats are snuggled together in front of it.  Have a great night!

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