I Better Get Busy

When it comes to sewing and blogging, lately it seems I take one step forward and two steps back...

can't seem to get into a rhythm....but working on it.

Since the deadline is March 21st, I finally started working on our guild's Robert Kaufman solids challenge.  I've had an idea of what I wanted to do for quite some time, but never got beyond the thinking and planning stage.  Yesterday, I remedied that situation and cut into the RK charm pack, and since we are allowed to use some additional fabric, I also pulled out this Cherrywood fat quarter I purchased last summer.

This purposely isn't the best picture...but can you see where I am going with this?  I tried once before to piece letters (unsuccessfully), but this time I am using solids...and I have Word Play Quilts as a reference.

Surely I will have better results this time ;-)

Last post I hinted that our Orlando Modern Quilt Guild had exciting news about an upcoming workshop.

Does the above picture give you a clue?  Whee...I'm so excited that Lazy Gal Tonya aka Unruly Quilter aka Tonya Ricucci will be spending some time with our group!!!!!  I am a huge fan and can't wait to meet her in April.

However, there is one small issue...Tonya has asked to see my Liberated Amish Challenge quilt....

up close and personal.....eek!  

This is the picture I have in my header and how the Liberated Amish quilt top looked before my pitiful attempts at hand quilting scarred it.  I mentioned in this January post about wanting to resurrect this project, including ripping out all the quilting and starting over.

I actually took the quilt top (along with the seam ripper) to my son's track meet, but since there were what seemed like hurricane force winds and rain, I decided that wasn't the best time to pull it out.

For inspiration (and to refresh my memory), I reviewed the posts on the Lazy Gal Liberated Amish 2010 Get Together blog.  Has it really been over a year since I asked for (and received) help in quilting my JMR quilt?  I think it's time I took the advice given.

Like I said....I better get busy!

Have an amazing day!!!

Wonderful Wednesday!

Forgive the wordy Wonderful Wednesday post...I usually keep these short.

April BOM Mosaic Block

Today is the first meeting of the Orlando Modern Quilt Guild's second year.  I've been busy preparing a power point presentation on quilt blogging and Flickr.  

This is my first attempt at using Power Point (I know...sad, isn't it?), so needless to say it took much longer to prepare than it should.

March BOM Cross Block

The Orlando Modern Quilt Guild has some exciting events planned for its second year (including a workshop with....can't say who yet...news will be announced today) so if you or someone you know lives in the central Florida area, please join us!

March BOM Cross Block

If you are a regular reader, you know how passionately I support the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative.  I  feel that I can never adequately express why that is and how awesome this organization is.  Fortunately, there are others who can.  Please take a moment and read the latest posts by Michele Bilyeu and the AAQI Update.  The following words in particular resonated with me:

"The Alzheimer’s Art Quilt Initiative isn’t like other charities. We are all volunteers, we account publicly for every penny that we spend, and we hold impromptu ceremonies before we mail checks because we know what it feels like to lose someone we love one memory at time. And we know what it feels like to make a quilt and pray with each stitch that our work will help win the fight." (from With-Heart-and-Hands blog who quoted Ami Simms, founder and executive director AAQI)

and these:

“I had never even sat in front of a sewing machine before but 

when I heard about this Initiative, I just HAD to make a 

quilt.” ~Don Hebert (from AAQI Update blog)

AAQI quilt made by Michele-Nostalgic Cafe

The AAQI March online auction is taking place right now.  Go check out the fabulous quilts you can bid on until March 10.  There is also a wide variety of Alzheimer's: Priority quilts for sale all the time.  The above picture shows the latest AAQI quilt that I purchased.  This beauty was made by my quilting buddy and OMQG partner in crime Michele!  {Have you seen those blog buttons that say I am one of the blogging Amy's?  They need one of those for all the Michele/Michelle's out there!}

Every AAQI quilt needs a buyer and new home ;-)  

Have an amazing day!!!

New Home

I've been wanting one of these for a while now.  Every now and then I find myself lurking on ebay or some similar site checking out the Featherweights and dreaming of owning one myself.  My son has even scouted out estate sales for me.  I just couldn't pull the trigger....until now.

This baby came home with me the other day, and I love her!  She weighs 11 pounds, has all her parts and makes the sweetest sound.  I can't wait to spend more time getting to know her.

She also came with two tables, a carrying case and an accessory case full of original goodies.

According to the serial number, she was born made in August, 1940.

Thanks Kathryn for the heads up on this baby ;-)

Have an amazing day!!

A little of this...

...a little of that is what I have been doing.

This AAQI mini was supposed to be finished in February, but will count toward my March goal instead.  It just needs a little quilting and binding to be complete. 

Has anyone else made any Priority: Alzheimer Quilts this month?

{While checking the AAQI links for this blog post, I noticed that one of my quilts sold.  This is always exciting.  AAQI announces on Twitter when a quilt is sold...the reason I set up a Twitter account...by giving the quilt number, amount raised, thanking the maker of the quilt AND THE BUYER.  Thank you buyer of #6331!!!!}

Saturday was Sew Day for the OMQG.  Thanks to the creative genius of Michele and Julie, our members now receive an OMQG logo tote bag and cool name tag when they renew their membership.  So hard to believe our guild is starting its second year!

I had way too much fun chatting at Sew Day to get much done.

Somehow I did manage to make some boobs for Nina Lise's project.

Saying I am "making boobs" is quite the conversation starter ;-)

You should try it sometime...maybe at your next quilt gathering.

I made these boobs by using strips trimmed from off the sides of the Artist Palette quilt.  The instructions call for a light back fabric, and this is perfect as it already has a layer of batting.

I used blocks from  my orphan block basket, pinned them on top of the batting and followed the instructions provided on Mrs. Moen's Make a Boob blog.

I'd like to make some more before I put them in the mail to her.

Thanks for leaving me a comment on why you like blogging/blog reading.  I'm working on a power point presentation for our guild meeting discussing quilt blogs and Flickr, and it's interesting to hear how others view the topic.  

The random number generator (my daughter who picked a number between 1 and 14) chose lucky number 13 to receive the Red Centre pattern.  Mary on Lake Pulaski (we had 3 Mary's comment), it's headed your way.

Have an amazing day!!!!

This One's for Me!

I'm keeping this quilt for myself!  

It has a special story and meaning to me....not to mention, I absolutely love this quilt ;-)

Julie

Toni, Amanda, Me, Shelly, Mary, Victoria, Doris, Terri, Shelly

I made {most of} the quilt top in June during a quilt retreat at Gruber's where I met IRL ten wonderful quilty, bloggy friends!  The fabric (already cut into squares) and pattern was given to me by another wonderful quilty, bloggy friend Julie.

This red Suzani fabric by Kaffe Fassett is my new favorite!  In addition to Suzani being the center fabric, I also used it for the backing and the binding.  Wendy machine quilted all over swirly circles.

I'm working on the label which will include pictures of my quilty friends.

This is where my quilt is living at the moment.  

Maybe now, my family will realize that this is MY CHAIR!

Want to make one yourself?  I am giving away the Red Centre pattern from Material Obsession.  Just leave me a comment on this post, and I will randomly draw a winner over the weekend.  For fun, I'd love to hear what it is you like about blogging and/or blog reading. 

Have an amazing day!!!

One of these days

I'll get my life organized, and I can spend the entire day, every day sewing....ha....wouldn't that be nice!

So would fitting back into those Victoria Beckham Rock n Republic jeans I just gave away to my son's girlfriend...but that's another story ;-)

In the meantime, I'll keep plugging away as best I can...fitting in time here and there for my sewing fix.

For example, I sewed the binding on one side of my Retreat quilt last night while watching Criminal Minds reruns....can't get enough of those.....I believe there is a Criminal Minds marathon on today...I may actually finish sewing the binding on this one....that is if I don't fold those ten loads of clean clothes waiting for me ;-)

Max thinks this quilt is for him....he thinks that about every quilt!

Another picture of Max because he's just so darn cute!

Well, off to get my life organized!  What do you have planned today?

They Made Me

I took three quilting projects with me to Montana, and I had high hopes of finishing all of them....

...but "they" made me sled, ski and socialize instead.

{Not so great home movie of me sledding}

 I'm so glad they did!  I had a blast seeing and meeting other families from my daughter's school who also had the brilliant idea of spending their winter break in the most beautiful place on earth!

I did manage to finish this quilt only because my daughter was sick the last day.  It's appropriate that this Basics Housing quilt was the one I completed in Montana, since I also started this in Montana on a previous ski trip.

Wendy quilted a fun stars theme which I think jazzes it up somewhat.  The backing was pieced simply with red and white fabrics.  The quilt is now headed to Basics, Inc.

Now to get on those other two projects.....