Back in action!

Suffice it to say there's been a lot going on in my life since my last post.

We've decided to put the house on the market, which meant tons of boxing and storing and cleaning and such.  You know how it is when a realtor sees your house through different eyes.  All that fabric hanging out of tubs just isn't as delightful to them as your quilting friends LOL!  We really like this house, and we've only lived here 2 years - BUT Hubby has finally come to terms with not being able to care for the garden and the 3 acres as he has in the past.  My allergies have gotten worse over the years, and I'm not able to be outside anymore either - and with the corn and soy fields on all sides, there's always something in the air.  These last 2 weeks have been filled with haying and my eyes are glued shut each morning.  So enough said about that.  As soon as the house sells, we will be moving to a maintenance free, 55+ community.  More on that as news develops.

Fresh from Bonnie's visit, my guild friends have been abuzz with her techniques and ideas.  This past week found us on a little outing together and of course we had to stop at some thrift shops.  We found some great light shirts (XXL!) for a few bucks.  BUT, the last stop was even better, and I picked up some light shirts for my current project for only 50 cents a piece.  And to show you what great friends we are, we didn't fight over them at all.  We just asked for a pair of scissors, and cut sleeves off, and exchanged sleeves.  We sure got some funny looks, I gotta tell you!

Roberta, Donna, Peggy, Jan peeking from the back
Diane is hiding on the other side of the rack from the camera!

The real reason for our outing was to go to Fabri-Quilt Warehouse (again).  You'd be so proud of me!  I only brought home a fat quarter pack of animals, and 3 huge bags of donated quilted scraps to be used for the Pink Slipper Project.  The other girls brought home much, much more, though.  I won't tell on them though - I'll just let you wonder.

Paul also offered to take us upstairs on a tour of the quilting room.  At one time, this company used to quilt all the fabric for the Vera Bradley line of bags.  But not now.  These quilting machines were pretty darned impressive!  They were quilting coat linings (like Carhardt), freezer wear (coats to wear in commercial freezers) and lots of other general pre-quilting fabrics.  

Thread on the quilting machine

Some of the machines are computerized, others are not.  What you see on the rack just above the batting are the bobbins, which must be filled before the machine runs out as it's quilting.  I don't think I could do this job!

Trimming the edges off

This man is running a machine that cuts the excess edges off the finished quilted roll.  Talk about having your work heavy on your shoulders!  Man oh, man!  Pretty impressive here, too.

Putting fabric on the bolt

Here is some fabric being put onto the paper bolts.  I love machines that are designed for specific purposes.  I could have watched this rolling off, up, across and down all day!

I've also been consumed with getting the guild challenge completed and turned in before I leave for my Michigan retreat.  I can't show you the pictures until November (when the quilt show is), but I CAN show you some of the fabric and embellishments.  The challenge was to use stripes, have purple in it somewhere, and have embellishments somewhere.  My piece is 30" square and is called Stripendipity.  Stay tuned for the completed pictures in November.

Surprise

In addition to that, I've gotten the last of Hubby's shirts ready for the retreat.  I just got the bargain shirts laundered, and I need to get them cut down.  I am working on Bonnie's Virginia Bound quilt at Gwen's retreat instead of liberated quilting.  Well, I guess this is liberated quilting in a way, just not as wonky, wild and wonderful as Gwen's.  I still have my project from the first liberated class I took with Gwen, and even though I love the process, I just don't want an entire quilt of liberation.  (I just re-read what I wrote, and it sure sounds funny LOL!)  Instead, I am making a king size quilt from Hubby's old shirts.

Michigan Strings

I promise I won't be as long with posting again.  I know you understand.  I'll be gone now until Sunday, September 19th, so don't expect a new post until the 20th.  I am going to MICHIGAN!!!!!  I'll be with  30 of my best annual friends at White Birch Lodge in Elk Rapids, MI with Gwen for our retreat!

See you soon!

Missouri State Fair

OK, I have to admit it. I have never been to the Missouri State Fair. Since I'm living in Missouri now, and the guild I belong to is in Missouri, it's only right that I go. So I did! I tagged along with the group who presented for the "education" part of the fair, and we sure had a good time!

Diane, Donna, Prez Elly, Peggy, Quiltgranny

There were quilts everywhere....in cases

On walls....

Above our heads.....

With the special winners in special cases.

From the fair, we went to the famous Wheel Inn in Sedalia, MO for my initiation to a Guberburger.  I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.

This used to be a really cool circular drive-in with tile on the building.  But they had to move to another location....

I got mine with onion rings and a diet coke.

Would I do it again?  Or add peanut butter at home to my own burger?  uuummmmmmmmmm - no. Then on from lunch to the fabric store on the side of the highway back home.

D & T Fabrics

I was good, really, really good.  No fabric came home with me at all.  Just look at this really cute planter made from recycled jeans and embroidered sewing items stuffed with flowers and tied with a tape measure!

Smarty Pants!

Sew, till next time, keep stitching, and take time out to go your local county or state fair, too!

Quiltgranny and Granny

WHEW!

I SURVIVED!

Bonnie has come and gone, and now I am recovering from the hectic pace keeping up with her. She arrived Sunday mid-morning, and we visited, had BBQ ribs and wine and watched the first episode of Prime Suspect with Helen Mirren.

You'll never see Bonnie with empty hands, either! Here she is finishing the hand quilting in the borders of her orange quilt. A nice relaxing evening inside with the 102 degrees outside temperatures!

Cookbooks and quilting - a winning combination!

Monday morning found us with 100 lbs of quilts, 300 lbs of books and all MY gear for the Lee Summit Quilter's Guild trunk show and program.  Be sure to enlarge this photo to see my license tag holder, too.

Quiltin' Gals on the Go!

Tuesday morning we went to the Greater Kansas City Quilter's Guild for the same trunk show and program. Then in the afternoon, Bonnie had the Pineapple Blossom workshop.

This might be the Cathedral Stars workshop.....

Then, right after the workshop, we hit the road for dinner with the next guild. Of course, we had to make a quick stop at Culver's to keep Bonnie from whining, then to the the Olathe KS Quilt Guild program.  Are you tired yet?  I was!!!

Bonnie with her "teaching" quilt.

Wednesday morning was an all day workshop with the Greater KC Guild again.  This time it was Cathedral Stars.

Yes, I AM that short!

At the end of the day, you would think we would just go home and put our feet up, right?  Well, the Energizer Bunny, Bonnie and I went to the hospital to make a personal call on Margaret.  Margaret had to have hip surgery scheduled on the VERY first day of Bonnie's week!  She even tried to schedule it later, but the docs weren't having any of that.  So Bonnie took a mini-trunk show to Margaret!  I know this will get Margaret back on her feet and out of re-hab to get those Pineapple Blossoms and Cathedral Stars started!

Margaret, Mary, Bonnie

Bonnie is also working on her hexagon project that is about ten years old. She laid this out prior to leaving the house to see just what else was needed.  I don't think a black cat is really necessary, do you?

I think *my* Bonnie was trying to claim it.

Thursday morning was a relaxing day, and we did a few errands here and there.  The day was so darned hot though!  At one point the thermometer on my car for the outside temperature was 108 degrees.  

This is what just what we felt like!

That night (Thursday) we made the last trip out for a program to the Northland Needlers night time guild in Gladstone, MO. 

Here we are selling her books, and my guild's cookbooks Sew, Let's Cook!

Friday, Bonnie went with her Kansas City Quilts book editor, Jenifer Dick for a photo shoot for her newest book, Scraps and Shirt tails II that will be out in February.  I, on the other hand, went to the Missouri State Fair.  (more on that in another post) with my guild.

A very happy week for everyone, I think.  And it was great spending so much time with my old pal.  

The quilt block is even smiling!

Then came Saturday morning, and it was time to take her back to the airport. And yes, I am not kidding when I say she travels with 100 lbs of quilts! Each duffel is 50 lbs of quilts, weighed precisely on a portable fish scale! LOL!

Bye, Bye, Bonnie

So, if you ever see two duffel bags rolling down the airport baggage claim,  you'll know that Bonnie isn't far behind!  And you'd better run to keep up!  Thanks Bonnie, for all the smiles!  All 577 miles of them in the Kansas City metropolitan area!

Quick Change

As you all know, Bonnie Hunter from Quiltville arrives tomorrow for a busy, busy week. Since the day starts at the airport getting her and all the quilts and things she needs for programs, I'll post just a little bit today. You probably won't hear from me again for another week, so don't worry! We'll be having fun!


It's been terribly hot here, and it's promising more hot, hot, hot for the next week. So I am taking the opportunity to get ready for fall. The transition from summer to fall will be nice!

Here's this month's quilt on the wall - my watermelon quilt that I just love! I guess I should have moved the lamps, huh? Oh well, more time to play instead of moving furniture.

It's quilted with an all over pattern since it's so busy, but the pattern seemed to lend itself just perfectly within each watermelon, too.

So with that, I am off now to clean house, and put fresh sheets on Bonnie's bed. Take care and keep quilting!

And sew on!

It's been a really, really, really busy couple of weeks here at my the old homestead!  Lots of sewing, cooking and cleaning!  I've been working on two donation quilts and I've been asked for another one if I can.  The first one is for the High Tea for Breast Cancer, and the proceeds go to the local Cancer Action group.  They've asked for hot pink and neon green.  Here's their version of the Mod Quad, waiting for the black borders to be attached this afternoon. 

The next quilt is the same blocks, but instead of pink and green, it has all sorts of primary colors inserted.  Hopefully, it will be done before this weekend.

I've been working on the seed stitching on the landscape that is overdue by a month.  I keep working on it, and it seems the more I do, the more it requires.  After this step, is the hand beading on the tree leaves.  The name that is probably going to stick on this piece is Seasonal Kodachrome or Kodachrome Seasons.  

1/4 of the quilt top is Spring....

Spring seed stitching

Fall seed stitching

Another art quilt (The River) in the works with deadlines on the horizon.  I think I'm in pretty good shape for this one, as the deadline is a "lookie see" at everyone's progress to date to make sure we are on target.  All the pieces are cut and ready to sew, then embellish.  So, if I do nothing else before our meeting in mid-August, I'm a good girl on this one!  No picturesjust yet, though.


I've got the Guild challenge quilt that's due in September in the works, too.  Something purple, something striped.  Got a plan - good to go.  Now, I just need to find a quilt surrogate to complete the plan!  LOL!


The Guild cookbooks have arrived, but they haven't been revealed to the Guild yet for the winning title.  That's next week, then I can post them on the blog. AND, I've been working on Boutique projects for the November guild show, and pricing out the others that are slowly being turned in for the Boutique corner.  AND, take a breath now.....Bonnie Hunter from Quiltville is arriving this Sunday.  You know what that means?  House cleaning too!  LOL!


Come see us/her if you can!
Bonnie's agenda while in the Kansas City Metro area:

Monday, August 9, Lee's Summit Quilter's Guild

Tuesday, August 10, Quilters Guild of Greater Kansas City 

Wednesday, August 11, Workshop with Kansas City Guild

Thursday, August 12, NiteTime Needlers

Another Birthday Quilt

Yesterday was the Amazing Quilt Babes last "official" birthday stitch day. We helped Carol get this beauty together, and isn't it great in it's simplicity? Even though this is the last of the 2010 birthday quilts, it doesn't mean we won't be stitching more! We even had time to stitch some more blocks for our 2 charity quilts.

Shirlee, Ibby, Carol (seated) Vicky, Sharon

Last night when I took Mayo the Wonder Dog outside for the last walk of the night, this is what I found shining back at me from the front porch steps.

This is a common garden spider sitting in the center of it's web.  The rain had just stopped, so the web caught the little droplets and made it look like the pale spider was sitting in a ring of diamonds.  Just beautiful!  I took the pictures, then Mayo and I went back in the house and finally went out through the garage in order to let Mr. Spider do his work.  I hope your day is filled with hidden delights and jewels!

The Quilting Fairy?

If you're like me, when you get to a certain turning point in your project, you either want to walk away from it entirely (one turning point) or keep going on it until your eyes can't stay open anymore (the second turning point).  

Well, this particular project was finally at the at the second turning point a week or so ago. It's already been through the first turning point at least three times, so it's about time it finally got to the exciting part. I'm talking about the landscape piece that was due in June, but I just didn't make the dateline.  

I was too busy cutting holes in it because I didn't like it. Then I figured out how to do window panes with curling panels (don't ask!), and didn't like that either. A little more time was spent taking that apart, and some more holes were cut. I figured I didn't have anything to lose. Several trips to the Dollar Store for fiber parts (don't ask!), some free hand quilting, and some more ortwork. It was around this time, that my vision finally crystallized, and I started getting excited.

I made a special trip to Eudora, KS to pick up variegated Presencia #12 perle cotton at Quilting Bits and Pieces, and started seed stitching the heck out of it. My hand and fingers have just about seized up now, so I've put it aside to rest. Last night, I left it on the sofa, and I think the Quilting Fairy has finally arrived to help me finish it! Hooray! Shouldn't you get the Quilting Fairy on your schedule?

Where has the summer gone?

Gone to the cats and dogs, of course!

You might (or not) recognize this quilt.  It's this year's birthday quilt that my Amazing Quilt Babes and I started this last February.  Then I took it to Cambria, CA to finish and I had left one side of the inner border off.  Well, as you can see, all is well now, and it's on the bed.  I absolutely love it, and apparently so do the animals that I live with.

Here's a close-up of the beautiful feathers that my long arm quilter did for me.   We found this particular feather in a different size on a quilt we saw when we attended the Machine Quilter's Showcase in May.  She adapted it for size, and I think she's done a marvelous job.  Pumpkin seeds in the 4 patches just set it off.  I used Fairfield Cotton and Bamboo batting this time, and I think it is now my favorite batting of all time.  It quilts beautifully, drapes beautifully, and Hubby stays warm on his side, and I stay cooler on my side.  Enjoy!

Book Winners are......

UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE

Silly me, I put a name from Australia into the Stateside pot for drawing, and of course, it won the first time I drew out the names. Sorry to say that I can't send the book that direction, since Debbie in Israel had already been drawn for the overseas book from me.  I'm so sorry for my mistake!

But the good news is that there was another drawing, o.........

Janet has really won the book from the Book Network.  Hopefully, I'll have more drawings and the rest of you can try again!  Come back and see me sometime!

Happy Fourth of July to everyone!

This will be just a quick posting to let you know who the book winners are.  The stateside winner of the book from The Book Report Network:

 Christie!!!!  This is what she said: 

I would love to win a copy of Sandra's new book. I found out about your give away from Bonnie Hunters blog. Enjoyed reading your blog - now that I have found you. HUGS... and stitches Christie

Congratulations!  Christie, please send me an email with your contact information so the book can be sent to you.  

And the overseas book winner of my personal copy is:

 Debbie in Jerusalem!!!!  This is what she said:

I don't recall ever reading a Sandra Dallas book, but they all look good, so why not! Thanks for counting me in, Sharon.

Congratulations!  Debbie, please email the address you'd like the book sent to.

So, now I am off to enjoy the rest of today's activities which include a lot of sewing on my landscape piece ortwork and dinner with friends.  We'll be watching the fireworks from our front driveway (if it isn't raining) since we live in the country and the folks all around us entertain us with all the pretties!