New projects...

     Well, I have been busy the past few days...I have been working on 2 new projects...actually 3 new projects!  I really need to stop and finish the ones that I have already in progress and the ones on my list to start and get done, but noooooooooooo, I have to start not 1 but 3 new projects!!  Is there like a Dr. Ruth or something for us quilters, or crafters in general?!?!?!?  I need help!!!  Anyway, here are pictures of what I have been doing, the first one is a baby quilt top, still need to put borders on, but it is a Kansas Troubles pattern and I love it done in the light and dark blues (I did have to buy a few pieces of light blues because I didn't have enough of the lights!).  I really need to find some more blues, they are so wonderful in this top, and I would like to make a diaper bag and maybe bumper pads etc. to go with this.  This is going to be baby "Beans" quilt..if he is a boy, of course!!

     I also pulled out some 4 patch squares that I made out of old shirts a year ago and started just sewing random width strips to them into log cabin blocks.  I think that they turned out really good, if I had planned it out I would have turned the center blocks so that the dark squares were top left and bottom right on each of the blocks (some were) and then when put together they would kind of round out the blocks a little bit.  I think I may just sew all of these together and put a border on and make it a table topper, it would be good machine quilting practice!!

See the first block at the top left, and the one under it, and the one to the right of it how the dark blocks kind of round out the center and then the second block on the first row is turnes different!!  I wish that I had planned it instead of just random, it would look nicer, but, sew and learn!!!

And, last, but not least, here is the other new project that I have started...it is just a scrap quilt, and each block has an opposite that goes with it, I actually have 42 blocks done, I am not sure how big I am going to make this one, and it is an ongoing project.  I will probably put it up for awhile, I just went through some of moms scraps and cut pieces big enough to do these blocks, I have lots more fabric to go through, but hey, you can never have too many in a scrap quilt right?!?!?  So, I am off to the great upstairs...again to "clean-up" so that I can work on something, but I am not going to start a new project...well, not today anyway!!!  Have a blessed day!!!

Basketweave is done...almost!!

     I have the top of the basketweave quilt done, well, except for the borders!  I am so excited and it looks so good!  I needed to take a break, I have been working on it all day.  I am going to go and pick up a BBQ sandwich, come back and work on the border!  But, here is a picture of what I have so far...

Happy Valentine's Day!!

     I hope that you all have a Happy Valentine's Day!!!  My sweetheart didn't get to come home this weekend since he had to work yesterday, so, this is our first Valentine's Day apart!  I told him that it was okay, because everyday with him is Valentine's Day anyway!!!  And it works out good, I get to sew today, and he gets to watch the Daytona 500 interruption free!!!  I wish that he was here, but hey, we have to look at the positives in any situation right?!?!
     I got the binding done on my nephew, Myles, baby quilt and I gave it to him yesterday!  His mommy loves it, and it even works!!!  She wrapped him up in it and he went right to sleep....oh, and did I mention that it was past his nap time?!?!  I guess that helped...a little bit!!  Here he is, he is so cute!!!  He is even cuter when he is awake!!!!

     My F-I-L and B-I-L came over yesterday to fix my car...had to have it towed home on Friday after visiting with my son.  It wouldn't start, jumping it off didn't do a thing for it, we tried everything.  Thought it was the alternator, but they think it is the starter.  Bless their hearts, they worked on it for about 6 hours and didn't have the right tools, and couldn't really get at it good, so they gave up, and my F-I-L called a guy he knows that is going to meet him at his house sometime today and fix it!!  Yay!!!  It is always something!!!!
     Today I plan to clean a little, wash a little, go upstairs and sew a little, that' the story of, that't the glory of love!!!! LOL!!  When I wrote "clean a little"  the movie "Beaches" came into mind and I could hear Bette Midler singing about my chores!!!!  Anyway, I have all of the blocks for my basketweave quilt done (except for the outer border, which is different than the other blocks and it turns out I may not even need them!), and I am going to finish putting the blocks together for the top today!  I can't wait to get it done! 
   

Which quilt to work on....

     I am heading upstairs to work on a quilt.  I am not sure if I am going to work on my basketweave quilt, or if I am going to work on Jasons Black and White quilt...decisions...decisions!!!  It is cold and icy here, a great day to just sew, sew, sew!  I haven't even been in my sewingroom since I got back from Knoxville!  I have done a little shopping though!  I did find a great fabric for the back of my basketweave quilt, and bought all 9 7/8 yards of it, I don't think it is going to be enough, but I can make a few strips of the same blocks that are on the quilt top and just piece the back.  I also went to the Goodwill store in Nashville on my way home and found several shirts and then hit one of the stores here when I got home, so I have washed them all, cut the buttons off and got them all cut apart!  So, all I need to do now is go up and cut the yokes into strips (did I mention that this quilt is made entirely of the yokes of the shirts that I have been collecting?). 
     I also need to start thinking about getting my sewingroom cleaned up, our quilt guild is having "virtual tours" of all of our sewingrooms...that will be fun to see where everyone creates all of the awesome quilts, bags, etc. that they make!!  Have I told you that my husband and I bought a house with my mom 5 years ago?  We share a sewingroom, and I have all of my scrapbooking stuff up there also, it is very scary at times!!  Ha! Ha!
     I hope that you have a great day!!

Exciting News!!!

     I have the most exciting news!!!  I am going to be a grandmother....even though I am not really old enough!!  LOL!!!  My youngest son and his wife are having a baby, and I am excited, as this will be my first grandbaby!
     I should say here that the timing is not so great, and without going into too much detail, I will just say that my son is currently incarcerated and waiting to go to court.  He has had a problem with drugs after getting addicted to pain medication after a knee injury a few years ago.  Drug addiction makes you do incredibly stupid things, and yet I am thankful that this has happened because I do believe that JT (my son) has learned and is learning some very important lessons.  I have debated on whether or not to share this information on my blog, and have decided that I am, because I know that there are other mothers out there with children with drug and/or legal problems, and also because it is a very important part of my life at this time, and this is my blog!  I am not ashamed of my son, disappointed in his actions, yes, but I am thankful that he is alive and is now drug free, and will be able to learn some kind of pain management, since there are legitimate ongoing pain issues.  I believe that this baby will give him hope for a wonderful future! 
     I would ask that you keep my son and his wife in your prayers, as they have a very dificult road ahead of them! 
     I have started a journal for this new baby to let him/her know that they are loved and wanted, and since we don't know yet if is a boy or a girl I have decided to call this little one "Bean" so, I have started Bean a book all about his/her journey into out lives!
     We are hoping that on Jackies next doctor visit in March, we will know the sex of Bean and then it will be time to get busy making baby quilts, layettes and such!
     So...that is my exciting news!!  I believe that babies are a blessing from God and have their own perfect timing, it may not be our choice in timing, but hey, that is Life!!!  Have a blessed day!!!

Heading Home

     I have most of my stuff packed up and am planning on heading home early in the morning.  I am going to miss my sweetheart very much, but he will be home next weekend!  I know my puppy girl will be happy to see me...she doesn't get a chance to miss me like she does Jeff, and she is always so happy to see her daddy when he comes home!! Now it is MY turn!!!  I am going to have to stop and get her a bone or something,  I mean I can't be gone 2 weeks and come home empty handed right?!?!?!?
     I have all of the blocks made for my basketweave quilt, I have decided to change up the border, so I don't have to make more 6 1/2" blocks...yay!!!!  All I have to do now is sew them together and add borders. 
     I guess I had better try to get some sleep, I have a long day ahead of me! 

New Old Shirts...

     It's always something...Saturday I ordered something online and went to get the credit card I was going to use and couldn't find it...hmmmmm, where was the last place I used it?!?!?  Mamaws Thimble Quilt Shop....of course I couldn't call because I already knew that they were closed due to the weather so I had to wait until Monday.  I was on the phone bright and early yesterday, and yes that is where I left it (that's what I get for talking about fabric...it makes me forget other stuff!!).

    I didn't get alot done yesterday, I did make it to BigLots and found a quilt book that I had wanted about a year ago, but it was just before Christmas, and I couldn't justify buying myself a book that close to Christmas, and after the holidays it was gone!!  BigLots had it for $5. and I would have paid $22.95 for it at Hancocks, the book is "Log Cabin Quilts with Attitude" by Sharon V. Rotz.  I love it, it has several neat things in it.

     Today I decided to get out and go to some thrift stores...well let me just say that the thrift stores around here are very proud of their stuff!!!  I found the best deals at AmVets..yellow tags were 50% off this week and green tags 25% off!!  Here are the shirts that I got today, I only got 8, but they were all good colors.  I have already taken the buttons off, will wash them when I get home and get them cut up to go into some quilts!