Happy Late Thanksgiving

The Thanksgiving Day came and went for our family. Last year we went to visit friends, this year we stayed home.  Lola has her first job.  She worked Wednesday until 8pm.  We really didn't want to start driving in the dark for family 6 hours away.  With the speed of life lately, we decided to stay home and just slow down.  If we slow down too much though we get grumpy with each other, too much together time causes family blow ups in our house.

We made the traditional turkey, 15lbs.  A lot for just the 4 of us.  I couldn't talk anyone into coming this year.  They are all coming around Christmas and don't want to make so many trips in a short period of time.  We made turkey, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, dressing, and pumpkin pie.  We have so much food left.  Lola & hubby went out shopping on Friday.  They were out for quite awhile.  We have managed to get most of the shopping done.

We also watched a few movies.  I was looking forward to seeing  "Eat, Pray, Love".  I was disappointed with the movie.  The book is so much better. 

Lola and I went to watch "Harry Potter".  I have read the books, Lola has not.  We really enjoyed the movie.  We always try to see it on a "IMAX" screen.  I don't remember how it started, but after the first time seeing the wand fights on that really big screen, you just can't see them any other way.  One of the local cinemas just replaced a screen with an IMAX.  Before we have to travel almost an hour to the museum to see them.  I liked to walk around the museum before the movie.  We just hit the theater this time.  We didn't want to drive so far.  Lola drove there, that is always an adventure.  She is definitely getting better.  She is scheduled to get her license just after the holidays. 

We had decided to take day trip to break up the weekend (ward off those blow ups).  We went shopping to one of the local college towns.  Only Lola had been to the mall before.  We ate at Bennigans in the mall.  The local college game was on, it was fun to hear the crowd....touchdown!

The Christmas Traditions Quilt is just about done.  The outer borders are now on and the binding is being sewn down.  I am a little disappointed.  You can begin to see in the this pic that the blue and red coins are a little full.  The snowman quilting that was so great in the beginning, has shrunk the white fabric enough to have the colors puckering.  These coins were quilt as you go.  I was hoping to be done with this be now.  I quilted 3 lines lengthwise down the quilt, hoping to take in some of the fullness.  It wasn't enough.  So now I am meandering between those lines. It isn't hard just taking longer than I wanted.  Christmas Traditions is next weekend.  I am again waiting until the last minute to finish. 

I really enjoy The Patchwork Times by Judy L.  I have enjoyed watching her sock collection.  As a child I learned to tat, crochet, knit, cook, bake, garden, and quilt from my grandma's.  I did not enjoy knitting.  I could never get the hang of holding those long needles.  I had so many other crafts that I just learned and then never knitted again.  I watched Judy making socks.  She is quite the quilter, but I love to see her socks.  She collects yarn like a quilter collects fabric (she has a great stash too!).  I decided that I needed to try to make some socks.   So I am.  I started them while I was off taking care of my dad.  They are going slow.  I had to reteach myself how to knit.  It wasn't that bad.  I have dropped stitches...I have to fix this myself now.  Grandma always did that for me before.    It is coming along though.  I should have started with thicker yarn and bigger needles.  I find this out later.  Oh well.  I am dreading getting to the heel.  I will need to take a lesson when I get there, I think.  I am holding off taking the lesson until I really need it.   I am having a ball (hahaha!) working on them.  The technique is 2 socks on 2 circular needles, so when you are done you don't have to start over to make the second sock. 

Happy Knitting or Quilting!

Just Another Quilter (Knitter)

More Bibs

Thought I would show you the latest in my bib collection.  I wanted to make sure to get pics before I sent them off.  Meet the newest member of our family.  This precious thing came into the world in August.  We just found out about it-MEN!#?

She belongs to my husbands godson.  Check out 4 of the bibs I made.  I am hoping to quilt up a top that needs finishing.

If you click I the pic I think that it will enlarge it so you can see my Grandneice better.  We have been greataunts & uncle for amost 16 years.

Remember to make the most out of life.

Just Another Quilter

Food & Fabric for thought

Things are just crazy around our house.  The husband has been away on business.  Lola started a new job, is working on the stage crew for her third play now and babysitting is picking up for her.  Not to mention her stomach is giving her fits (can we say stress--she just can't see it).   Lola gets her license in January.  So to add to these chauffeuring duties lets add:  MJJR started basketball practice, had a band concert, and was on the bottom of the pile in a basketball pile up (her head is tingling--can we say possible concussion).  It all seemed to come together when Lola's job was ending (doors locking, building closing for the night) while the concert was 1 hr into the 2 bands, 2 choirs & joint pieces for both the band and choir.  I realized this at 1pm.  Lots of fun!  A few calls with lots of pleases took care of the situation.  Boy, it would be nice to have some family in the area to help now and then.

The retreat that I usually attend is also this weekend.  DH told me a couple of weeks ago to just GO.  I laughed.  He suggested that I take off after school started on Friday (did I mention he is back in town but on call--currently working at 9am Saturday morn.  I really did need some of that quilting bonding time that comes with retreat, soo, I headed off on Thursday for about 3 hours.  I squared up some blocks and worked on a little hand quilting.  I had soup for lunch and talked with long lost friends.  It was great.

But this Saturday morning, it is cooler than recent days and raining.  We really need the rain, but I could do with out the dreariness.  To brighten my mood, I cook.  A neighbor offered a butternut squash last week and I took it.  Lola loves squash soup--found a recipe and made it up.  I thought I better try it  & realized that I also love squash soup.  Yesterday, found me a few more squash--a quilting buddy with a farm.  She offered me 3!  More soup!  This will turn into OurBestBites.com Butternut Squash Soup.  I really enjoy this site.  This pot was hit with a hand blender and quickly turned into a marvelous lunch.  Today the squash was a little smaller and I covered the pot.  Last time it had the consistency of mashed potatoes--I added some half & half.  Today it is a little thin. 

Next item to share--FABRIC!  Over the last few months, our family has taken a few trips, hit a few shops and just added to the stash because--well--I really wasn't sewing and wanted to feel like I was doing some quilting.  Imagining great quilts out of new fabric makes me feel that way.

The fabric is my souvenir from Maui.  The left was at the Maui Quilt Shop on the south side.  The right was at the quilt shop in the mall--yes, the mall.  The mall is right by the airport.   

DH headed off to Nebraska for work a few weeks ago.  The quilt shop had this quilt on display and he really liked it.  He brought everything home so he could have one too! 

Last thing--next week I am off to stay with my dad who got a new hip.  I will be in katiemaytoo 's neck of the woods.   

Off to work on some bibs.

Happy Quilting,

                                                          Just Another Quilter

A couple of projects

I have been working on bibs for mjjr's coach.  She has had the same coach for a couple of sports for 2 years now.  These bibs are for their new baby.  Can you imagine have a baby and a 11 year old?  I am too old for that.

Here are 2 of the 4 that I made.  More are coming.  A coworker is having a shower on Sunday.  I haven't started hers yet.

This is the Christmas Traditions quilt and the up close quilting.  It is a quilt as you go for the coins.  I think that our group will have to do a little more quilting on the coins.The coins are a little baggy  because the dense quilting is shrinking the white. The ends still have snowmen fabric to put on.

happy quilting.

Just Another Quilter

I WON!!!

My mother came in town for the weekend.  We haven't seen much of each other the last few years.  My daughter had surgery last summer.  Mom took a bad spill on her bicycle and couldn't travel much. 

I have taken her for my quilters retreat before.  We don't really do any crafts together when she comes.  We just talk and I show her what I am working on and she tells me about hers.  (She picked up a new machine last month.) 

Mom & I were hunting through the internet for sock patterns and just looking around.  I love the socks Judy L. makes over at the Patchwork Times.  She is so funny.  Today is "Design Wall Monday".  Stop over and see what everyone is working on.  We found some hat patterns that might be interesting as Christmas is approaching. 

While we were hunting around I saw a new post from "KatieMaytoo".  She was announcing the winners for her recent giveaway.  I WON!!!!   I was so excited!  My mom came over, confused.  What did you win? How did you win?  I just had to explain all about friends on the internet. 

Earlier this year, I picked up a 5 gallon bucket of homegrown plums at church.  I wasn't sure what I was going to do with them....but I would find something.  I made something called Plum Buckle.  Boy was it good.  We also now have enough jam for the year!


Salsa was made, zucchini bread frozen, spaghetti sauce frozen, basil dried, pesto frozen, apple chips drying, apple/pear cheddar cheese pie ready to eat and one carrot cake eaten and one frozen.  Maybe the summer was busy & I wasn't so lazy.

Next to come---bibs, tablerunners and fabric.

What I did on my summer vacation.

Here are the some pics to follow up with my return. 

First are some pics from Hawaii.  We stayed off Black Rock in Maui.  We always seem to have an exciting time.  The excitement seems to follow us.  While there, fires shut down the road that connects Lahaina to the rest of Maui.  Teen idol Zack Ephron was present for a Movie Festival.  The end of the vacation was saddened by the disappearance of a snorkeler right in front of our room.  Four or five days emergency personnel were present in the ocean, of land and even in the parking lot.  We stayed out of the ocean for part of the day.  The Lola was afraid that she would have a life altering event.  Here is a pic of the area where we would wait for the bus.   We enjoyed the trip to the other side of the island.  This "ginger" bloom was just gorgeous.  We also went to the top of Haleakala.  This old volcano looks like something more from moon.

At the top of the mountain is the strangest looking plant.

 This plant looks like it is metallic.

  It grows for up to 25 years before it blooms and then dies. 

 The last pic is of the view in the evening from our window.  What a way to go to bed at night. 

Well I am saving some pics for next time.

Just Another Quilter

Where have I been????

I can't believe that I have been gone for so long.  The kids finished school and it was suddenly busy. 

What I did on my summer vacation:

1. Went to Maui for 2 weeks and---saw sea turtles, shopped, found a quilt shop in a mall, went for walks, saw cool flowers, hiked, went to an aquarium, watched a water bottle collapse coming down a  mountain, and read a few books.
2. Watched some awesome fireworks for the 4th of July
3. A daughter got her braces off
4. Went to visit family in another state
5. Picked up hours at work
6. Watched lots of softball games
7. Helped with Bible school
8. Picked blueberries
9. Picked tomatoes
10. Made spaghetti sauce
11. Made salsa
12. Made plum jam
13. Made zucchini bread
14. Went swimming
15. Went fishing
16. Went to Mayo for a conference
17. Sent the youngest kid to a new school (Middle School)
18. Did very little quilting! 

What I did since the kids went back to school.  

1. Remind dad to schedule the hip surgery that he really needs. 
2. Hear that mother has yet again fallen of the bike. 
3. Made scarf made from fabric purchased while at Mayo
4. Finished bibs for baby born in July.  Still not delivered.
5. Started a quilt as you go project for the Christmas Traditions
6. Buy a new car
7. Take old car in for brake problems
8. Take other old car in for wheel bearing problems
9. Go to local quilt show for 2 hours--not long enough but got to go.
10. Take child for enlarged ear???? Infection? Allergies? Bite?
11. Pick up hours at work
12. Made a mission meal

I will get some pics in the next post.  Of food, flowers, cars, & quilt related stuff.  Tomorrow??!!!??

Just Another Quilter
where life gets in the way of quilting.