tornado relief

wow- i took a lunch break and watched the news...holy cow! the pictures and stories coming out of north georgia of the devastation from the tornadoes is absoulety heart wrenching. i received an email from nancy and SewBeeIt in ringold was destroyed.

Red Cross Newsroom Link

i went and found the links for the Red Cross chapters for the specific areas hit.
Northeast Georgia Red Cross
Northwest Georgia Red Cross


the one story that just makes my blood b.o.i.l! is that looters are already taking advatage...seriously!!? that mentality sends my temper to undescribable levels.....

these are my 'neighbors' i already have plans on how i am going to help...

is the bobbin half full or half empty?

i wanted to share a 'lightbulb' moment that i had last week. i made a quilt that i'm hoping to make my first payfer pattern...it needed to be quilted (duh). it's a muli colored top with a neon pink solid colored backing. i use my favorite thread in the needle (maxi-lock tye dye punch) and i usually pick bobbin color by which ever thread i already have many bobbins wound. as i started looking at my bobbins (i wind my own btw) i noticed i had lots of half full bobbins that were of similar colors to the top.

i used all my 1/2full bobbins on the back! i just popped one in and when it ran out, i just threw in another- paying NO attention to that one's color! (i did knot and bury 'cause the backer fabric would of showed it off in a bad way)

the result: a great looking backing that looks like i used a varigated thread and i emptied out some bobbins of colors i rarely ever used!!

to be honest- i wasn't sure this would look good once finished, but after i finished quilting, unloaded, and flipped it over *grin* it looks better than anticipated!
it's hard to show in a picture- see the all the different colors! it looks better in person- now the back has visual interest as well!    that's my quilty 'happily ever after' :)

i found one drawback to blogging- i DVRed the royal wedding to watch later today and everyone is talking about it. i've gotten good at throwing my hand up to block the pictures til the next blog loads...*lol*

i want to remind those that are collecting my BOMS...sunday is the day that april's block will be retired. AND *a little grr* i got tons of emails of people wanting the retired block's instructions so i posted them in my Etsy store and not a single block has sold, so i have decided- get while it free or it's gone...forcver. not being snarky, but did you know it costs to post items for sale on Etsy whether they sale or not???

i spoke to soon...

the universe got my email.

last night was scary windy weather. we were fortunate to have the worse just north and south of us. boy that wind- sounded like we lived next to a freight train interchange. i was surprised to never hear the weather siren tho...Ringold is north of us and they got hit really bad. Sew Be It quilt shop is in ringold and i called to check on them with no answer to my call. my thoughts go out to all those lost loved ones and now have to worry about rebuilding.

then i leave today to run an errand and come home to the subdivision being blocked by crime tape....WTH!

someone was murdered five houses up from us. what a sad, sobering moment. makes the weather last night seem so miniscule.

i knew something was up. all the emergency vehicles (squard cars, K9 officers, SWAT, and 6 detectives!) going the same direction as me- not good.  i pulled in just as the police were stretching the tape across the street. i had to park on the curb and walk behind the houses to get home. they caught 2 of the 3 suspects. they were young too, 4 lives ruined in the blink of an eye over something stupid.

hug your loved ones. like they say, "you're not promised tomorrow. today might be it."

just stitchin' along

it's been a while since i posted....nothing's happening. it's been a boring mundane couple of weeks. obviously the universe didn't get the email that i need something interesting to happen to me at least every other day so i can blog about it :)

i did finish some quilts:
i quilted lucinda's bom from a LQS

and i quilted two for theresa
a B&W pineapple

and a purple and red T

Lisa invited me for another sew-in.
my featherweight and Tangled on the TV...it was awesome to get outta the house. it's nice to talk to people and actually have them talk and answer back, barney makes for very one-sided conversations.

 

i took the opportunity of her balcony to get a picture of my echoes of color quilt. it's big- 98" square. this is the quilt i made from all those strips. see the homespun backing peeking out..i love that!!

i also worked on my *fingers crossed* first quilt that i intend to pattern and sell.


my back/shoulder is feeling better. still taking it easy...davis assumed the 'caretaker' role quite happily and i quickly got use to being 'caretaked'

my forum swap mini

my miniquilt from the forum came today! my swap partner was leslie in texas...

isn't it beautiful! i love it. the colors and design are perfect...it's measures 20" square.

i've already hung it  opposite of my studiothat way i see it everytime i come and go. i hung it on point and it's perfect for that spot!

thank you leslie!!

look at her micro quilting...all those itty bitty feathers!

and she included some great goodies.

i like participating in swaps. as a quilter it's really the only time a quilt gets made for me. plus, it's fun to make something for another quilter that might push you out of your comfort zone...i encourage my readers to try it if you have the oppurtunity.

the other one

i'm still here. i did something to a muscle in my back around my shoulder, so i've had a bit of a hitch in my giddy up. all i did was get out of bed on saturday and i stretched and felt something *pop* it immediately hurt! i'm okay- just taking it easy.

i don't have anything quilty to show yet. i'm working on show quilts and i didn't realize how many locals read my blog and i don't want to show the quilts til after the show. i don't want people to attend the show and see the quilts and keep walking by, "i saw that one on her blog" i think it's proper blog etiquette :)

linda posted about my other swap quilt on her blog Flourishing Palms.

it's an original design that i hand appliqued.. i underestimated the degree of difficulty of needle turning all the crooks in those letters!

Forum swap quilt

my swap quilt i made for cindy arrived safe and sound.

i made her my little splosh flower banner. i borrowed her pictures because they look much better.

i included a mug rug made from 'bonus' HST that i saved and a scissor fob i made with her name in it. 

here's a picture of the back...












i have another swap quilt to share, but i'm waiting for her to post to her blog first as to not ruin the surprise....

help...

i've had these FQs for a while and i found the perfect quilt pattern for them. i'm thinking they would look good in Lily's QAL...

my only hiccup is what background color? i'm wanting to use a kona cotton so i can showcase the quilting there...no white cause i use my quilts (and so do the dogs :) ) i was leaning towards ash...

suggestions?

playing around

victoria is hosting a 'something from nothing' swap and of course i signed up. so i've been thinking about what i might do... see, i'm not a free piecing/wonky/crumb piecing type of gal. i like structure. i like my points to be pointy and my seams to nest. but i wanted to push myself outside my own comfort zone to try something different. if i didn't have a reason i wouldn't tried it.

so i pulled out my scrap bins and gathered all my batik scraps that i had in lime green, yellow, and dark blue/purple. i sewed all my scraps into one big piece to make 'new' fabric. i'll admit- i was really surprised how fun that was!! the saw tooth star is my favorite block, so i cut the pieces i would need to make one.

i sewed my 'new' fabric into the star...*drool* i REALLY like it....i like it so much, i'm keeping it (i think you should always keep your first anything) and i'll use the idea for another block and use that one for the swap.

and my mind is already running full force thinking of ideas to make a bigger quilt!

thanks victoria for hosting a swap that made me step outside my comfort zone. i encourage my readers to try something new...you never know- you might like it!

long distance stitches

i mailed three quilts back to their owners in new york this week. i'm proud to say there arrived safe and sound!

two belonged to Victoria of Bumble Beans fame. 

she has much better pictures in her blog post about them. i'm jealous of her natural side lighting!

third belonged to mary....

as i told her, i secretly wanted her to 'forget' she sent it (yeah- fat chance) so i could keep it. i'm a sucker for anything fassett.

check out her backing! i love a good woven!

she sent me an email with a link where i could get it! on sale too!! i'm thinking i'll use it on the back of the quilt i plan on making with the FQs from this post....

when i was at Tiny Stitches this week, i spied this woven in the sale bin and used it on the back of one of my quilts. blog post coming soon :)

also, i finally got around to making a (extremely belated) christmas present for my mailwoman....hey better late than never. i used my Easy Pleasy Tote tutorial. i fussy cut the motifs to better focus them along the bottom.

didn't it turn out beautiful! she really liked it. now i want one for myself, and lord knows, i need another tote like i need another hole in my head....




p.s. i sent an email to the lady i took the baby squirrels to ask how they are doing and i'm happy to report they are growing fast and getting into all sorts of 'squirrely' trouble.