Monday, November 29, 2010

What's On My Design Wall...........Baby Jane My Way

A while back in one of my posts, I mentioned that I was going to do something with my Dear Jane blocks.  The time has come.  I sat down to EQ7 and came up with a quilt.  I will not have to make anymore blocks, that is good because I really didn't want to.  I must say that the quilt idea came from a quilt that I saw in a magazine.  It was gorgeous.  Not the traditional Dear Jane, but one made with batiks and the layout was great.  I could not copy her quilt although I would have liked to.  She had used 4 1/2 inch blocks and I am using 5 1/2 inch blocks.  I really did not want the quilt as large as hers either.  I am also going to make straight borders where she had scalloped hers.  So I started with her idea of putting it on point and from there it came out considerably different.  Only part of it is on my design board.  The board is not large enough and my larger design board is full.  I need a larger sewing room.  I have a feeling that my double garage is going to get remodeled.  I have two carports besides the garage, so I really don't have to park my car in it and since I never have it is not a big deal.  I could remove the doors and put up patio doors.  Wouldn't that look slick.  Add a window (cut through brick) and it would be a great room.

My grandson came for Thanksgiving................

We have a gloomy day here, but it is 72 degrees.  

Hope all is well on your end.

Saturday, November 27, 2010

AFTER THANKSGIVING

We survived Thanksgiving.  Oh, so much food.  The weather here was super. 

Yesterday a cold front went through and believe me it was cold.  It never hit 50 degrees.  It felt much colder, but today is another day and it is warming up, the sky is bright blue and the wind is gone. 

Today, it is back to quilting.  I have decided to do something with my Dear Jane blocks.  I have put them up on my design board.  Monday, I should have a picture posted.  I have roughly 70 blocks finished and I think I may have to make another 15 to do the design that I want to make.  It is not going to be the traditional Dear Jane.  It is going to be Baby Jane My Way.  I just don't think I would live long enough to get all the blocks made.  My attention span is too short.  I would be off working on another quilt and Dear Jane would be back on the shelf. 

Marty, my grandson from Madison, WI was with us for the holiday.  He came in on Monday and left this morning.  It was so nice to have him here.  I took a couple of pictures, so will post them near to the bottom of the blog.  I had planned on taking more pictures, but it skipped my mind and it didn't happen.

Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving.  Any of you do Black Friday?  I didn't.............There is no way I would fight those crowds.  Probably in my younger days I would have done it.

Thursday, November 25, 2010

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

I am off to the Hammond's with Vic and Marty this afternoon.  We are busy cooking.  I know we are going to have enough food to feed an army.

Hope you all have a wonderful day.

Monday, November 15, 2010

What's On My Design Wall November 2010 and etc..............


These two pictures you have seen before, except they have a few more blocks on them.  I have been busy making a gift for a bee member.  That I cannot show yet......it's a secret.  Also today I am embroidering by machine a block for
our bee exchange.  It is a Christmas block.  Since I don't have it finished as yet, I took a picture of the picture to show you.  It is OESD software and very pretty.  I also have an ornament to make for the guild exchange.  That is not even started, nor do I know exactly what I am going to do. 


Next week, being Thanksgiving, I will have a lot on my plate.  My grandson from Madison, WI is coming for the holiday and a few extra days.  It will be so nice to have him here.  I am concerned about him getting bored so have put Victor in charge of entertainment.  Lake Charles doesn't have a whole lot to offer.  Of coarse there is probably more here than I realize.  If it isn't quilt related, I don't know anything about it.  I cannot see to drive at night, so I don't go anywhere unless somebody takes me.  So night life, I don't have one.  There are casinos but I really don't like to encourage that.  I have went twice I think since I have lived here.  I cannot loose money and buy quilting fabric both, so I buy quilting fabric.   At least I have something to show for my money. 

It looks like rain.  We could use a drop or two.  It is very dry.  We just have not had enough rain this year.

Hope all is well on your end.................

Monday, November 8, 2010

What's On My Design Wall and the Houston Quilt Show

The quilt on my design wall is made from a striped fabric.  It is all in the cut which is very simple and all the same.  I added the black for the inner border and the striped border is pieces of what was left over from the stripes.  When I add a black binding it will finish it nicely.  The idea for this quilt is from Dot Collins in Beaumont, TX.  She says it is her  stripe period. :-)  She has made a number of them, and they all look different depending on the stripe.



 Sharie, Joan, Linda, Angel
 

Linda and her big win
 










  
The Houston International Quilt Show was this week.  What fun...... Three friends and myself went on Wednesday and did preview night.  We stayed in a hotel within two blocks of the convention center.  Thursday, all day, except for lunch, was spent running here and there looking at all the goodies on display and of course leaving a few dollars behind.  That evening we went to the IQA doings in the ballroom (must be member).  The highlight of the evening was the door prizes, three retreats.  One in California, one in Colorado and one at La Grange, TX.  We decided to buy tickets and since you have to get yourself to the retreat we knew we could get to Texas.  So all of our tickets went into the box for Texas.  Do you have any idea how someone behaves when they win a retreat?  Let us just say, the winner (not me) was extremely excited.  But the kicker is, we all get to go.  The retreat is for 12 people, free.  She can bring all of her buddies.  We think spring when the wildflowers are blooming would be ideal. 

Now a picture of my purchases and a little explanation.........Fabric, Civil War fabric - a book, a pattern,  machine embroidery (actually 2, one was free) software,  featherweight bobbins and lubricant, a box of Auriful thread and a Judy Neimeyer pattern.  I should be busy until the next show.