Autumn is here!

And the very cold to freezing temps prove it! I've actually been able to get some sewing time in this month around the kids naps and occasionally in the late evenings after they are both in bed.
I did pretty well with my challenge to work on my UFO of leaf blocks I started quite a few years ago. I got the final 2 blocks made and all 7 connector blocks... which are made up of lots of 2.5 inch squares - each a different fabric. I just finished putting the rows together this evening so the 'middle' is completed. Now I need to figure out what I want to do for borders... but that will be sometime next year. I'm thinking something like a split triangle for one border but need to think about it. I think I will use this as a practice hand quilting next fall but we'll see.

I also started a scrap quilt for my Mom and Dad. I will mostly be using my existing blue stash of fabrics to create a 'Lady of the Lake' quilt. This will be for their bed at their camp on the lake in the summers. I have 3 more blocks ready to assemble and about 3 more cut out and ready to sew into triangles. I would like to have this finished for next June... but reality will probably be the following year.

Quilt Guild started this month and there is a block a month themed in the 400th Anniversary of Samuel D Champlain discovering Lake Champlain. This is our local monster 'Champ'. It was designed by a member of the guild. I didn't have fusible web when I was making it, so I just need to hand stitch down the green 'island' and remove the white basting thread. There are 2 blocks for October - a dragonfly and a loon... I hope to get those done in the next week!

I have also signed up for a fall mystery quilt - a queen size starting Oct 3... I am debating about getting out of this ($28 in so far - but no fabric purchased yet) but am still wavering on it. We'll see how the week goes first. I just worry I won't be able to get the sewing done in the 2 weeks between the classes.....
At the end of the month, I will be doing an all day class with Sharon Schamber on how to do free motion fans without marking. That is my early bday present to me - a full day 9-4 of sewing and no kids in sight!
Ok, its getting late so need to get some sleep in case someone wakes up in the middle of the night wanting a bottle since she went to bed early - 7:30 tonight. Oh - I felt a top tooth poke through today for Emily and Aidan is still working on getting that first molar through.
Happy quilting all!

Woo Hoo!

I got all 7 'connector' blocks done already! They are 5x5 of 2.5 inch squares and they are all done! Now I just need to connect them with the leaf blocks and see how it looks. Then it will be border decision time. I just love making progress on a project.
I've decided to work at a blue scrap quilt in the 'lady of the lake' pattern. I figure if I can do 1-2 blocks a week I should have a bunch ready to make a quilt for my parents for their bed at camp for next summer. I am thinking it might be an Anniversary present if I can get it done by June 15 next summer. I measured their bed yesterday and a 80x80 should do the trick. It is a pattern I've always loved and Mom mentioned something in blues... which I have a ton of as they are my favorite color. I got the cream this weekend, just need to wash and iron it.

Emily has been sleeping better... from 8:30-9PM until 5:45-6, so not too bad. Aidan had a touch of something again on Friday.. just as we got to the fair he fell ill. So, we were there a little over an hour and then headed home to get him to bed. They both turned this weekend - Emily was 5 months yesterday and Aidan was 19 months on Sunday. He had his 18 month doctor appt. today and he is doing great. just under 30 pounds and 34.5 inches tall!
Pictures next time I promise!
Happy quilting
Deb

Fall weather finally!

Well, I started writing this last week but never got it posted so I'll start again.
Summer has flown by...especially since we only had about 3 weeks of it! I did manage to get a few things done despite having two little ones who keep me busy.

I completed the top for my 'charity' quilt which started as a UFO block from my stash. I'm not crazy about how it came out... a little busy for me but it is for my guild's charity quilts so hopefully someone will appreciate it.



I also made a few pillow covers for my Mom - no pictures as I did them at 8AM and then packed the car to head to their house shortly after that. Mom had requested something 17 1/2x17 1/2 to cover some 'yucky' pillows that are on the couch at camp. Dad must have liked them because they were in the camp less than 3 minutes and he had them on the pillows already.

All my leaf blocks from an old BOM quilt were completed in August. I have also cut and laid out the 2.5 inch squares that will make the rest of the blocks for the quilt. I am hoping to get those sewn together in September.

Well, I was just reading Andrea's blog and she had a wonderful idea - each month take out a UFO and work on it... not necessarily complete it but make some progress on it. I LOVE this idea as I don't get as much sewing time as I'd like and this will allow me to make some progress without the 'finish' stress! So, September will be my fall leaves UFO from above. We'll see how I do.

News... I signed up for a fall mystery quilt at my local quilt shop. It starts in October and I decided to make a queen size this time and hopefully it will eventually find a home on our bed. Just waiting for her to select the fabrics she'll use in each colorway to determine which one I go with.

The kids are growing and doing all kinds of new things. Emily rolled over from back to front last Monday. She has also slept a solid 11 hours at night the last 3-4 days (I really hope I did not jinx that!.. Alas I did jinx myself and had very little sleep last night!) Aidan is still inquisitive and into everything like a little boy should be... just need him to stop taking things off the kitchen counter! He's all recovered from a stomach bug last week (milk + an 18 month old with a tummy ache = lots of steam cleaning of rugs and the couch!)
Summer is winding down and we'll take a couple of days at the local fair this week - once with my parents and once with Daddy. I have a feeling Aidan will just love the animals!
Until next time.... happy quilting all.

August already!

Some progress has been made! All the leaf blocks are completed. Just need to work on the other blocks for the top.
I have made a total of 12 monkey wrench blocks, have the sashes and cornerstones cut and mostly put together. Just need to sew the rows together then figure out borders! This will be a charity quilt for my guild... thinking a lap size.
I decided to buy a kit called 'Twilight storm at sea' from connecting threads. It is a pattern that I've wanted to do and should be small enough that I can finish it this year... I hope!
Kids are growing... will be 18 months and 4 months later this week! Time does fly when you are having fun! Since I don't have quilty pictures..... here are the kids last week at Grammy and Grandpa's camp.
Aidan in the turtle sandbox...

Emily in her rocking chair on the porch.

2 blocks done!

I was able to get some sewing done yesterday. I have officially 'moved' my sewing stuff into the basement. Just need to get my comfy chair and stereo down there now. Since both kids were down for the night a little after 7 (well, Emily got up a bit after 8 but Daddy was handling her) I got some sewing time in!
I made a blue monkey wrench block.... since I had found one as a UFO in my 'unfinished' box. I think I'll make a total of 12 and make a little quilt out of them. This will probably be donated to my guild charity quilts.

this is the one I did yesterday... a little busy on the fabric..


I also found a maple leaf quilt that I had started quite a few years ago as a $5 block quilt at my local LQS. It will finish as a lap quilt I believe. It came as 6 - 12 inch blocks in various colors. I did get the finishing kit which contains 2 more leaf block fabrics and fabrics for the offset blocks. I did a red leaf last night... sorry it is upside down!

then started a yellow one. Unfortunately I missed the cutting down of the fabrics on the second one (missed that step.. guess I was paying more attention to a crying baby upstairs!) and once I realized that I stopped. So, I think I can 'salvage' my boo boo. We'll see how that goes - hopefully this evening if both kids are behaving.

We woke up this morning to a crying and screaming boy.... this has never happened before. He just wanted to be cuddled so something is hurting but we don't know what. I assume it is teeth.. since at almost 17 months old (next week!) he only has 4 teeth on top and 2 on the bottom. I have a feeling he has a slew of them coming in since he should have 20 teeth by the time he turns 2.
At least Miss Emily is a much happier baby now... hasn't really been colic/fussy the last few weeks. Just fusses right before she falls asleep for a few minutes at night. Much better than it was. Here she was a couple of days ago.

A finish!

Well, I finally got the fabric nursery rhyme book finished.... almost, just need to sew one seam to attach them all but will do that tonight. It came out pretty cute. Will try to get a picture of it later. I was hand sewing the openings closed last night around 9:30 while Emily was laying on the floor under her gym... wide awake.
I'll probably cut up some kids fabric for a quick charity quilt next.. something easy so I can just do 10-15 minutes of non-thinking sewing occasionally.

I also got all my bulbs and annual flowers into the ground finally, DH planted the two trees for the kids (black cherry ornamental for Aidan and Hazlenut for Emily) and I got the garden finished last Tuesday. Things are popping up... will need to go investigate with Aidan later today. I also got the 6 blueberry bushes planted, the asparagus and 2 rhubarb plants. In a few years the yards should look great!
This is one of the front beds, before it was expanded two rotatiller widths all around. I've added some annuals and bulbs - hosta, lilies, wave petunia's, etc in the new areas.



I also got a cute knitting pattern for a blanket that I'll attempt to make this summer... if Emily ever decides to go to bed at a normal hour so I can have some time in the evenings to relax with it. We'll see. A friend made a cute baby blanket for Emily with the pattern in a pretty varigated yarn... I'm planning to make it with a deep pink soft yarn.
Here is Aidan....


And Miss Emily waving!

Ahhhh... finally 2 kids sleeping!
I took Andrea's advise and 'petted' some fabric! I do have some in the nursery so every time I change someone's diaper I get to see it! I have a guild meeting on Wednesday but doubt I'll be going this month. Emily is fussy in the evenings so don't want to leave Daddy with 2 kids at night after working all day. Next month maybe.
My parents were able to come up Friday afternoon for a visit...and I was able to get outside and plant some of the many bulbs/flowers I had ordered. They had been sitting in the garage for 3 weeks...and really needed to get into the ground. Aidan was napping all afternoon so they were just watching Emily for me. Mom came down with shingles around the time Emily was born (wasn't that a bit of a scare since they stayed with Aidan while I was in the hospital with Emily.... thank goodness she didn't get the scabs until after she had gone home!) So... neither kid got chicken pox from it -Aidan has had one of his shots for it already- but Mom has been in lots of pain so has not been able to come visit the kids. She has it on her face/mouth... the nerve that runs from the neck to the top of the head. Very painful and the meds she is taking are not touching the pain at all. Hopefully it will go away soon, as it's been about 6 weeks already.
Since I have no sewing pictures to show... here's the kids! Miss Emily a few days ago in her bunny outfit.

Sleeping on Grammy Friday afternoon. (Aren't they cute when they are sleeping!)

Aidan laying on the floor while Daddy was tickling him yesterday.

Ok, gotta go try to get a patch of land ready for the rhubarb and asparagus that really need to get planted ASAP. Someday soon I hope to visit people's blogs and actually leave comments! Until then, happy sewing/quilting everyone!