It pays to get up early

I am not, nor have I ever been, an early riser. Yes, I can rise and shine if I have to, but I just prefer not to. Recently, I have been going to bed earlier, but I still get up around the same time. This might have something to do with working out at the gym 5 days per week, but I digress.

Last night, I went to bed thinking about my goals for today. I really, really want to finish up at least two of the Caritas Clinics charity quilts. I guess that's what woke me earlier than usual. On my way downstairs to the stewdio, I caught a glimpse of the sky peeking through the landing window. I grabbed my camera, stepped outside, and for the first time in a long time, I saw the sun rise. The sky was just beautiful

I'm supposed to be quilting today...supposed to be working on those two charity quilts that will bring me to my goal of at least one charity quilt completed per month - well, almost, anyway. So what if the January one is still waiting along with the February one? And that the next two are waiting for just a couple of borders to be attached? So what, if I want to play with something else?

So?

Yesterday, a few of the Amazing Quilt Babes came over for a "free" stitch day. In other words, we got to play with whatever we wanted to do. It wasn't a birthday stitch day, so four of us played with backings and blocks and prepping applique. We also managed to make it to the "new" little quilt shop 13 miles south of my house, The Needle Nest. You know, we HAD to go!

I played with making more 6.5" blocks to go with the existing 60 blocks I already have. About 3 years ago, a few friends and I (Bonnie included) exchanged 6.5" blocks with each other. I love every one of them! I had just gotten my new Pfaff, and I learned that with the proper equipment (IDT foot), I can do weensy bitsy pieces! I just couldn't put them away today when it was time to set up the quilting machine. No, I just couldn't put them back in their bag, could I?

I remembered Bonnie's 4 Patch and furrows setting, and I wondered how it would work with these blocks? So, instead of quilting on those two charity quilts, I got out other equipment. The new rotary cutter blade, and my new EZ Angle 6.5" ruler, and my new fabric. Now, this fabric is so very different than what I usually work with, but I DID want the quilt to look old-fashioned.



The bottom row is where I ran out of the darker fabric, and I still need to make another dozen 6.5" blocks, but I do think I'm going to like it!

Put on your Sunglasses

This is the view out my stewdio window. Those poor little finches are all fluffed up and still singing their song for me! Be sure to click on the picture to enlarge it so you can see their pretty red feathers, too.

The weather still isn't cooperating here on the edge of the prairies. Today is our 36th day of below freezing temperatures! An Alberta Clipper came through here last night with wind gusts of 50 mph, and my sewing room was a bit on the chilly side when I started this morning! The sun is out and shining now, though, so it doesn't feel quite so cold. They say that it should be in the 50's by the end of the next week, but we'll see.

I've been busy this last week working on yet another donation quilt. I have two granddaughters who attend a private school, and their annual fundraising auction is March 2. I originally was going to make two small quilts, but Carolyn offered to make one, too, so that left me with only one to do. Isn't that nice?

The I Spy baby quilt (monkey wrench pattern) was actually the brainchild of my partner in crime, eh quilting, Carolyn. The blocks finish at 6", so they're pretty cute! (And these birds look a bit happier than the finches outside my window, too.)

I Spy Quilt 56" square

Carolyn's Child's Quilt (From P.S. I Love You) 59" X 62"

Will it ever come?

We still have ice on our driveway, left from the end of December. There is still snow on the bird feeders. The air is so frosty in the mornings when I leave for the gym, it hurts my nose. It has been darned cold, and it will continue to be darned cold this next week. The local meteorologist told us to prepare ourselves for the coldest part of the winter that will be here this coming week. What does that mean, I wonder?

Well, I just can't stand it anymore! So I prepared myself. Here's my Spring! And it's not too late, either! This is from an book called Seasonal Banners (unknown author). Of course, I've modified it to make it my own.

Birthday Friends

I don't need to go into much detail for the latest birthday quilt the Amazing Quilt Babes completed this last Saturday. (For those of you who are new to my blog, search "birthday quilt" on this blog page, and you can read about how this is done.) I was the lucky girl who drew January for my stitch birthday, and I just couldn't decide what I want them to do. I finally hit on the fact that I have a tub of finished blocks that they could put together for me. So, it is yet ANOTHER Everything But the Kitchen Sink. I had most of the stars completed by the time they arrived at 9:00 AM, and the top (less the borders) was complete by about 2:00 PM.

Because we were such good girls, we decided a little adventure was in order. A new shop has opened in Louisburg, KS called the Needle Nest. As luck would have it, it is only 13 miles from my house. So off we went! It is a lovely little shop, in an 1850's house. They don't have a ton of fabric, but what they have is luscious. About half of the shop is yarn, and they have a great little detached building all decorated up for classes. I liked the people there so much, I went back again yesterday, and signed up for a knitting class in March. As if I need another project!