Monday, August 10th, 2015

Well, summer is almost over.  I start meetings on Thursday...actually, I had one today.  I meet with the new Boys PE teacher Thursday and Friday for the Mentor program.  So, I just have a couple of days left.  Planning on gong to Springfield tomorrow.  I took my sewing machine in to have serviced while I was gone to Moldova and I need to pick it up and take my old machine in to be serviced.  I don't remember how long it has been since that one was serviced. 
I have been working on a demo for the Rolla Quilt Show on the Quick Curve Ruler since I have been home.  I cut a quilt out one day and had it finished the next day.  It is on my quilting machine right now.  I should be quilting it, but I'm being lazy. 
I finished a Quick Curve Quilt for our hostess' daughter in Moldova and took to her.  Here is a picture of her and me with the quilt.  I think she liked it.

I was looking over my list of things to do this summer and I didn't get very far with it.  I am keeping the list and am going to try to work on it through the Fall.  I did not get any cleaning done, as you can probably tell.  Not my favorite thing to do.  Oh well...

Until next time...

Happy Quilting!

Panel Quilts

Do you have panels that you bought to make a quick easy quilt and then once you got them home, you thought, "What am I going to do with this?"  I think several of us have been there, done that.
I designed two quilts from one panel over the past year.  This is supposed to be a class at Quilters Journey, and it will be this Fall.  I still have to write the patterns for the quilts.  The idea is two quilters can work on the two quilts together and then they will each have a quilt when they are finished.  Or, one quilter can make the two quilts and give one to their friend and keep one.  I finished these two quilts last month and showed them at our Third Saturday Sampler in June.  We had several sign up for the class.  One lady, who will be President of the guild in Rolla was there.  She later told the lady in charge of programs next year about it and suggested they ask me to do a program next year on making quilts with panels.  So, the lady called me and I agreed to do a program on designing and making quilts with panels.  Since then, I have been obsessed with panels.  My first thought was, "I need to go buy panels!"  Then I started looking around.  I have several panels and fabric to go with them to make several examples!  No need to buy more (although I have already!).  I have been researching and there are not very many books on using panels for quilt making.  Maybe there will be another one in the future.  There are several examples online, such as on Pinterest.  That has given me lots of ideas.  So, all those panels I have already purchased have come out to play and one has already become a quilt top (still deciding if it needs another border) and another one is in progress.  Three more panels have been purchased.  They will  not have to wait too long to become a quilt.  Two more are in the design process (two panels I already had).
That's what I have been working on.

Happy Quilting!

Already Marking Off

I am already marking things off my Summer List.  Went to school and cleaned out my office.  It had been a few years since it has been this clean.  I also did my end of the year check out list.  Glad to get all that done. 
Tomorrow I take Mom to her doctor's appointment in Springfield.  I will not be doing much on my list tomorrow.  But, I will work on finishing painting the gym the rest of the week. 
As far as my quilting list goes, I have so many quilts to finish!  I will need to work on customer quilts first.  I was at the shop this morning and saw that Geriann brought another small quilt in to have quilted.  So, there is another one to go on the list.  Plus I need to finish Stacey's Grandma's quilt before I go see Marcia, so I can take it to Stacey when I go see Marcia.  Which is what I think I will work on tonight.  I also need to finish Phil's quilt.  Just redoing some of the binding...one side to go.  Maybe work on it first and then Stacey's Grandma's quilt.  Would like to have it finished by Thursday so I can take it to the Quilt Guild and turn it in as a UFO finish.  Time to get to work.
Happy Quilting!

First Official Day of Summer

Today is the official first day of summer vacation.  The last day of school was Friday and I missed it.  Aaron Pole Vaulted at the State Track Meet, so I went because I had to take the poles up.  Savannah vaulted on Saturday and also threw the discus, so I stayed up there Friday night for her stuff Saturday.  When I got home from that, Chris and I went to St. Louis, spent the night and went to the Cardinal Baseball game Sunday afternoon.  We got home last night around 7:30.  I am glad to be home for awhile.  It is good to get away, but always good to be home. 

I saw someone posted a list they had made with their kids with their summer plans and called it their "Summer Bucket List".  I thought that was a great idea!  How many times has the summer gone by and I didn't do half of what I had planned on doing because I forgot or got too busy with other things?  Well, this is going to be my last "Summer Vacation", because I am planning on retiring after next school year.  So, I have to make it count.  There are always so many things I want to do and never seem to find the time to do them.  Maybe because I don't make a list.  Oh, I make lots of lists and I love to make lists.  I even follow my lists.  But, I have never made a summer list.  So, I am going to start it now. 

Summer List (If it is in red, it is done) (Added items in blue)

1.  Clean house
     a.  Clean out cabinets
     b.  Clean out pantry
     c.  Clean quilting room
     d.  Clean sewing/computer room
     e.  Clean bedroom
     f.  Clean out closet
     g.  Clean out basement
     h.  Get rid of one bag of stuff each week

2.  Quilts to quilt
     a.  Lori's 4 quilts  +1
     b.  Henry's quilt - needs binding
     c.  Mary Jane's quilt
     d.  Geriann's 2 quilts + 1 small quilt + 1 small quilt (1 Large quilt-binding)
     e.  Quilt for quilting ladies at church
     f.  Kim Diehl Quilt
     g.  Celtic Solstice Quilt (need to re-do borders)
     h.  UFO quilts
          i.  Pastel Trip Around The World - due in August
          ii.  10-Miute Block #2
          iii.  Log Cabin Heart Wall-Hanging - due in June
          iv.  Bowtie Quilt
          v.  Chris' Storybook Farms - due in August
          vi.  Large Bowtie Quilt
          vii.  Pastel Log Cabin - due in June
          viii.  Merrily's 3rd Saturday Sampler
     I.  Trim Mom's Quilt and get to her
     j. Tumbleweeds - Judy Niemeyer Quilt

3.  Quilts to finish piecing
     a.  CRSQG Mystery Quilt
     b.  1st Saturday Quilt from last year (Eleanor Burns Quilt)
     c.  UFO Quilts
          i.  Loyal Union Sampler Quilt
          ii.  Twist and Turn-Ugly Fabrics - due in August
          iii.  Miniature Paper Pieced Diamonds
          iv.  Underground Railroad - 6" - due in June
          v.  Underground Railroad - 12"
     d.  Idaho Farm Girl - missing blocks!

4.  Quilts to finish for Quilter's Journey
     a.  3rd Saturday Sampler
     b.  Block of the Month Quilt
     c. Friendship Quilt - Needs Borders
          i. Write Pattern

5.  Things to start
     a.  Sue Spargo Wool Applique Butterflies

6.  School Stuff
     a.  Clean out office
     b.  Finish Painting Gym
     c.  Do summer check out

Okay, there is the start of my Summer List.  I know, it looks like a lot to do.  I guess I have to plan my time wisely.  I am actually starting with #6 today.  These are the things I have to get done this week at school.  I am doing a. and c. today and then b. Wednesday - Friday.  Hopefully I can get the gym finished this week.  If not, I guess I will have to finish next Monday. 
Well, I guess I'd better get started!  It's going to be a busy summer!