GETTING A GOOD START TO THE NEW YEAR

Today seemed like Sunday....so much so that i tried to find TV programs that i watch on Sunday today....Finally figured out that it was Saturday....I just hate when i get my days mixed up...

It was a busy day though...I always work on the flower garden quilts in the morning and today was no different...got a lot done too...ready to turn the corner on the border and had to get out one of the others so i could get it set up they way it should be....Those corners are very tricky...

Then later in the afternoon i quilted a table runner i just made...it was a fall pattern FQ and some triangles floating around on my sewing table forever...i had enough triangles to make 7 square in square blocks...i put them in rows of 2 using 6 and had one leftover for a potholder....i have the runner yet to sew the binding down but my fingers are getting sore tonight so will wait till another time....

I even got my bills cleaned up ready to mail... and the bar almost cleaned off....the dining table is almost cleaned off too...i have been working on that job for about a week...i want to lay out a quilt to sew or take to quilter...not decided which...

I just know i am tired and my back feels like a truck ran over it with all the sitting at themachine i did the last couple days...so i suppose i better turn in early with a tylenol chaser tonight....more later.....

TIP: WHEN SEWING GRANDMOTHERS FLOWER GARDEN QUILT...

While stitching on  my daughters border for her flower quilt this morning i thought about a tip for working on the Grandmothers flower garden quilts....As most of you know that follow my adventures working on these quilts i have added borders to them to make them have more personalities....

The tip is when making the zig zag end of the quilt you can make them in a row before you join them to the quilt....you wont have to worry about if you are getting the right zig in the right spot if you sew starting in the down position and make an odd amount of them such as 5,7 or 9 cause when you turn it one way the first one is either up or down then the opposite end will be the opposite of the first....i hope that makes sense...but it is very helpful believe me so you dont have to guess all the time which way you should start if you are sewing away from the quilt say in a dr. office...

CANDY MAKING TODAY AND A LITTLE SEWING ON THE SIDE

The last two days i have been busy looking for recipes and baking...well not baking but candy making...and i am not done yet....i will go as long as my energy lasts....here is one of the items i have made....Carol's

people chow is what i am calling it...hope the kids like it...its pretty tasty if i do say so....and the other one is homemade turtles....i would have liked to make the carmel from scratch as it would have been softer but i was afraid by the time i got the carmel made i would have stopped there...

I have also been working pretty steady on the borders of my granddaughters flower quilt and happy to say i am almost done...couple more days of steady work and i should be finished....then i can put the borders on both my daughters flower quilts....and in between i am working on the one i am making for myself with all the leftovers....that will be a slow going thing till i get those girls' done...

Well back to the kitchen to make some peanut brittle....i hesitate to say things are going along smooth today but they are and hope to continue....more later....

FINDING MORE BLOCKS FROM SCRAP

I have been doing more 'little' sewing from the scrap on the table...just minor things like these going to be potholders...I dont know about the rest of the family but i need new ones and they dont have to be fancy...these were leftover partial blocks that i have been chasing around on that table forever so now they will be done up this week sometime..

Also i have been working off and on, on these blocks...cant remember what the name of the block is but i would call it a 9 patch variation...they have all been made from the scrap on the table too at various times....been thinking of making a star block with background all the same with print star of other colors to alternate with these....not sure on that...i am not even sure how big i want the quilt...more on this later....

Healthwise....got more tests in January, added one more when i went for followup at the gastro doc...i have a feeling my insides are going to be recognized more than my outside if they keep going lol....but so far all is well....wish they could cure my arthritis.....

Well gotta run to the store to get some meat...didn't want to cook today but the restaurants will be busy this close to Christmas and i dont want to stand in line to wait to eat....soo....more next time.....

ANGEL TOPPER --A GIFT FROM MY SWAPPER FRIEND

Isn't this pretty???? ...Beautiful Angel!... It's a topper made by one of my on line quilting friends for Christmas swap i joined....i am thinkng of putting a sleeve on it so i can hang it....i have just the spot for it and i think it would look nice ...

Yesterday wasn't a total loss...i washed up a small load of clothes and another load of dark fabrics and ironed them for my cabinet...

I just havent felt like doing too much...this past week i have had some sort of bug working on me...i think its a sinus infection but so far i am still going...very tired all the time though....so not much is getting done...

Today i hope to change that....i have a lot of fabric that needs washed up so it can be used so this is the game plan....wash a huge load of same color type fabric and dry a few at a time so when i iron them my arm doesn't get so tired....i think this will work better though its kinda slow process but workable...

I have already worked 3 hrs on my grand daughters flower garden quilt....this border is getting to me...for some reason its taking forever to finish...one reason is the Kona white cotton is very stiff to work with....i hate it....the last batch of it got was this way....

I ordered fabric for the background of the last flower garden quilt...MINE....it wont be Kona for sure....i am making sure i got something that is soft to hand sew....one note...when i went to order...it seems most of the other whites in all categories is sold out or has very little yardage...what is going on?????...is the companies not making any or is the public making quilts with all white backs?????.....unbelieveable!!!!

My sewing table is a wreck again...but what should i expect when i am working in there most of the time...i never stick with one thing very long so there is always 3-4 projects going on all the time....

I cant get anything done sitting here so off i go...maybe it will be a very productive day....more later.....

CATCH UP TIME

Catch up time....I have been sewing off and on since my busy week with health things....Yesterday i finally finished the cosmetic bag i have been working on since about 3 weeks ago....all went well...so well it was scary thinking i forgot something lol....i probably should have worked on the other one that is waiting to be quilted and it too would have been finished....oh well it can wait for a bit....i hope to get these bags to my daughters this next week so she can put them in her shop where she does nails....just right for cosmetics so maybe they will sell in time for Christmas presents....

I also finished a little doll quilt so it could be packed ready to give to a needy girl for Christmas...my other daughter will pick the box up and take it to her church for distribution....that obligation is finished....yay....

Now i only have one more obligation....my quilt group swap box for Christmas to finish up....trying to get them all done before this next scope test in case they find where i am losing blood and have to put me in hospital to fix....i want all things i have to have done finished before that....i wish all that was over....

Today i have plans of working in sewing room...figured out a way to gain more space in the room so will work on that if i can find some muscle.....more later.....

SPENT THE DAY AT THE HOSPITAL

I spent today at the hospital  for 5 hours getting a blood transfusion because of my anemia....Yesterday i had an Endoscopy done so its been a wild 2 days....I am very tired from all the action...I hope the transfusion helps the anemia enough that i dont have to have more....I stayed with my daughter for the last 2 days as she is closer to the hospital than i am and less driving time...

Before i came home my daughter and i did a little shopping for items for a box i am donating for a child for Christmas.... i knew i wouldn't have time to do it any other time before it had to be turned in ....i think i have enough things now except a stuffed animal...i thought i would make a little quilt to finish off the box....shouldn't take much time to do....

Earlier in the week i spent the day making blocks and straightening up more on the table....i will post a pic maybe tomorrow if i am not too tired...

That is about it for me...going to bed early...sure hope i rest good....more later....

CONTINUING SQUARE IN SQUARE BLOCKS

Here is a quilt i made years ago from some small square in square blocks, all pastel for my nephews baby...i always liked it but was tedious to work on...so here we go with another one like it only scrap....

After digging in the box of triangles yesterday and sorting them into proper stacks i found some little ones that were cut from 1 1/2 in strips...today i worked on them and it took a 2 1/2in square to make the square in square block that will measure 2 3/4 inches when finished...THAT IS TINY!...well today i made 24 of those little blocks so far...i have almost a full box of 1 1/2 inch strips i can keep adding to make a bigger quilt but it will take a lot...

The pinwheel blocks i was going to make kind of went by the wayside for now...the triangles for them are in a bag put in the clothes basket of blocks for now...that will be another day but there is quite a stack of them also...i guess block making never ends as long as i have ideas in my head...lol...

Got errands to run this afternoon before the rain starts so i better got going....more later.....

WORKING ON 2 QUILTS AT ONCE SAVES TIME?

While i am on the lookout for fabrics for triangles for square in square blocks i am also looking for triangles the same size for this quilt...it has a little smaller center than the ones for the 9 patch quilt but will be right size when trimmed to fit in this quilt...i need all pastel and med colors for this one so i can cut double amount and work on both quilts....confused??...hope not....

I also need to dig in the triangle box i have full of them different sizes...i may have some right size for both quilts and here is a tip for those who make strings...save those triangle ends and little triangles for the corners of your string quilts...makes better looking centers when 4 are put together...creates an hour glass effect....

I made my grocery delivery gal a little happier yesterday....she got to pick something from my box that has runners etc. in to use in her home....its the least i can do for all the grocery items she helps me with....last month i gave away a bag of potholders and small items to the place where my daughter works.... i had an overload of things....its good to get my work out there and make good public relations...who knows maybe a sale or 2 down the road.....for now i have to get to work on my obligations for Christmas gifts for my groups....more later....

BEEN ON THE GO THIS WEEK

Yes i have been on the go this week...one not by choice....had appointment with the gastro doc....set up times for the scopes to find out maybe why i might be losing blood to cause my anemia....I am not so sure that is what is happening...i know i am not a doc but i take a med that is notorious for malabsorbtion and i think my food isn't getting digested well enough to make blood...the gastro doc also mentioned that so i think i have the right doc in my corner...my primary doc thinks otherwise...so we will see...

Two days later yesterday in fact my granddaughter called and wanted me to go shopping with her in the city....i was tired but we dont get an opportunity to see each other very often anymore being she is living out of state...so i went....we had a great lunch and visit and i did get some things i forgot the day of the dr. visit so it worked out well even though i came home and crashed lol....but it was a good day....

I worked in some time in this week washing and ironing new fabric again....got 10 washed up and today i plan on doing more......i spent a lot of time in sewing room trying to organize my strips into their proper containers again to get things off my table so i can have room to work...and i have a mountain of fabric piles to put away in the cabinet that i am finally done with working on projects...so my time will be put to good use once i am in there...

This about catches me up for now....so its on to sewing for me....more later.....

THOUGHTS OF CHRISTMAS TREES AND ANGELS

Today is Monday again...a new week, one week closer to Christmas...I have been on sites looking for ideas for Christmas gifts...while there i found the most gorgeous Christmas tree all decorated in golds....It almost makes me want to put up a tree this year....I lost interest in Christmas decorating after my husband died a few years ago but today i thought about putting up my little tree but not the 8 ft. one we used to put up....who knows i might even get my angels out that i made years ago with ribbons and lace...

I have to wash up some white printed fabric today then i can start my Christmas project for the swap i am in...i have been dragging my feet this past week....my shoulder is acting up from so much hand sewing and ironing action from an old injury to my rotator cuff accident i had years ago....i hope i dont end up in physical therapy again to  get it to calm down....

As i said i have been hand sewing on the Grandmother flower garden No. 6...the last one i think lol....i only have 3 more rows to go and i will be finished with another top....getting tired of working on this one maybe because i know its the last one lol...

Not much else to talk about today just the same ole stuff with me...the weather is getting into fall now...cool days and cold nights...winter is in the wings ready to take over for a few months....sure hope its not a harsh one this year.....more later.....

FROM STRINGS TO THIS---

On Sunday after sewing all those string blocks i decided to make a top out of some of them....This will go to an orphanage...I'm just sending the top....I don't machine quilt really good as i am basically a hand quilter so i think they could do a better job....

I have enough string blocks for 1/2 of another childs quilt...if i get ambitious and work on more blocks i could have another one for the ladies...I do have another quilt top almost ready to put together in the scrap basket pattern from using leaders and enders method of making blocks....those go so fast...

I am up early today as i have errands to do later and the fact is i didn't sleep all night....wide awake...if this keeps up i think i will see about a sleep study....its getting terrible....

Well i better be on my way...lots to do today....more later....

A WEEKEND OF STRINGS

This isn't the new project i have planned but it is something that was needed...my string box was overflowing again...so i spent the whole weekend so far making string blocks...anything that was too small for a block got made into piano key type for a border or something else later...

I also worked a lot on my granddaughter flower quilt...adding 5 blocks finishing row 14....it wont be long before i have the top done...

I still have the white fabric to wash for the Christmas project i want to make....i think i will add more white fabric for the hexes to the load also...i got through that so fast and there is another quilt top i want to use with the leftover fabric from the flower gardens....just so many ideas so little time and energy lol.....i think i need a crew to help me lol...

Well its bedtime for me but i think i will play a game on the computer before i go...it always makes me sleepy so we will see if it does tonight .....more later....

THINKING CHRISTMAS TODAY

Today my fabric order came with Christmas colors in it for my swap project i am making for our quilting group...I wont tell you what it is but i will show you some of the fabric...i hope it turns out well....I have been hunting ideas for Christmas all this week...havent come up with many yet...sure hope i find more....

So happy my kids returned home from their vacation ok...I am going there later to see them and my granddaughter who i havent seen for almost a year....all my grands are grown and the last one is in college ...they just shouldn't be all grown up yet lol....

Got to make up my mind for the dishes i am taking to the family reunion soon....got lots of ideas for that....guess it depends on how hard i want to work lol....i think cookies will be one of them....the little kids will need a dessert that is portable and cookies are good anytime...maybe some fresh fruit or i might make cinnamon rolls....i guess we wait and see lol...

Well off to the wash machine to do up the fabric that just came so i can get started on my project....more later....

ANOTHER COSMETIC BAG AND CHRISTMAS THOUGHTS

Here is another cosmetic bag i made recently....this little one is like the tan one but they are so neat to make i might just keep making them....I am thinking about taking a bunch of them to my daughter to put in her shop...she is a beautitan and those would fit the purpose as she does nails too..

I have been trying to think of things to make for Christmas gifts this week...In a group i belong to on line is having a Christmas swap again this year....a box filled with goodies...Everyone tries to be unique and each year it gets harder to do that lol....

I also have been working on my granddaughters flower garden quilt which is no. 6 in my series and i think the last one....i will have a lot of solid color hexes leftover since i switched to the smaller posies for the last 3 tops i made....so will have to think of some way to use them...i do have a couple ideas that maybe might work so will have to work the kinks out later....more on this one later....

I am not sure i will ever get my sewing table free of leftover pieces....too big for me to call scrap if i can make other things from them....I have upteen amount of quilt tops that need to be finished so i dont need to make more at the present time....i am so looking for a charity that i can send some to to help them out....some are so specific in what they will take makes it hard when mine arent like what they want...i will keep looking....if you have ideas for me post them.....more later all.....