New Quilt Sampler

The new Quilt Sampler magazine is out. One of the featured stores is Harper's, which is just up the street from the office. A popular hang out for me and my sewing buddies from the office. The quilts in the issue are awesome. I have looked at the magazine about 17 times now since I picked it up on Sunday. I'm ready to start cutting. The red and white quilt on the cover is gorgeous. Makes me want to rush out and buy as much Toille as I can.

It's rainy and dreary, as well as chilly. The remnants of Gustav are still here drenching us. Everything is greening up though. We had to put our light coats on this morning. I think fall might actually be on it's way.

Have a great day!

Quiltathon

I was so excited to see that Judy L picked a weekend for the next Quiltathon. Somehow I felt like I would jinx myself if I said out loud that I wanted to participate. Seems like that's how it always goes. Well, I was productive yesterday. I finished up 16 additional blocks for the RWB top that I posted last weekend. This morning I managed to get it all together. I think it looks pretty darn cool.

Yesterday Grace had a birthday party to attend at Monkey Business. What a cool place to go and have a birthday party. The parents even got to get in and play. I was having a good old time in the bouncey ball area with Grace and then all of sudden RIP and shooting pain in my knee. I don't know what the heck I did, but it still feels horrible today. All I could hear was my doctor in the back of my head telling me that I'm not all that young anymore. 42 is not OLD. 42 is certainly out of shape, but not OLD. I hope I don't have to make an appointment this week.

The very fun 20' slide that you could catch some serious speed with.

My little ham posing for me in a tube she climbed through.

If the knee wasn't bad enough, I decided to do some embroidery last night. I just got my machine back from being serviced. It sounds HORRIBLE. There is something going on in the bobbin. After one pass through the first color, I turned the machine off. I will take it back to the shop tomorrow. I'm sure I will get grief from them about not trying it when I got it home. Give me a break.

Well, I'm off to Strip Club at Harpers. This month was batiks. Can't wait to see what the actual quilt will look like.

Hopefully I will have another picture to post before the day is over.

UFO #7 (Quilted)

This week got away from me. Seems like there was a lot going on, but there really wasn't. I did finish UFO #7. YIPPEE. The fabric is Spring Fling from Moda. In typical Becky fashion, I bought a jelly roll and made 2 tops from it. I quilted a free hand flower on it in pink thread. I thought the quilting would stand out more. Again, pleased with my efforts. My friend Pam is going to help me with some quilting lessons next weekend. Hopefully her efforts will help me get a few quilt tops completed.

This morning I spent some time perusing magazines. I'm addicted to quilt magazines. Actually that addiction is almost as bad as the fabric one. The magazine aisle at the grocery store, Target, Walmart, Lowes is a must. I think I'm going to try to put a couple quick tops together, so that I have some more practice tops for next Saturday. I think the Simply Strippy (Easy Quilts Magazine, Fons & Porter) will help me use up some stash and will allow me to have lines follow.

Next weekend is the the Quilt Shop Hop here in Kansas City. I'm still trying to decide if I'm going to hit some of the stores or lay low. It's also Charm School at Harper's, so I might just have to get out for a little bit. Oh the dilemmas that I face.
Edit: I'm a week ahead. Shop Hop is April 3-6, not this next weekend. Oops

Happy Easter to Everyone!!!

Checking In

Wow, what a whirlwind week it's been. My MIL came in from Modesto CA on Wednesday night LATE. Grace, MIL and I want to the mall on Thursday to ride the infamous Merry-Go-Round. Thankfully MIL was very accommodating and rode the Merry so I didn't have to. Sad to say, but riding in circles like that makes me horribly motion sick. Then there was the run into the Disney store, Libby Lu's and Build a Bear. OMG - the kid was in heaven because Grandma just couldn't say NO.

Thursday and Friday brought trips downtown for me to the DAX convention that's here in KC. I'm very much interested in starting my own embroidery business. My ultimate goal is to be able to work from the house while Grace is in school and be here when she gets home. It's those old fashion values of parenting kicking in. Anyhow, the convention was a great opportunity to stare and compare and touch those big embroidery machines. I was also able to pick up catalogs and find vendors very happy and willing to accept my business. I'm hoping to get working now on funding and getting the business and resale license in order.

The weather here in Kansas City is supposed to be spring like today. I think we are going to hit the sidewalks with the purple bike and go cruising. Grace can hardly stand it. Up at 7 AM this morning asking if she could go out and play. I guess the kid has spring fever just as bad as us big people.

I'm hoping to hit Harper's Quilt shop today for Charm School. Since the last pattern was so cute and went together so easily, I can't help myself. I must go check it out.

All for now. One last note - spell checker is fixed. YIPPPEEEE!!!!!

Super Sunday

What a GREAT weekend!! Sewing, shopping, football, food, commercials - what more could anyone want.

Yesterday I met Laurie in person. What a treat to be able to put a Blog to a face or an actual person, as the case was! We met at Harpers in order to attend Charm School. We both managed to spend some cash that we probably shouldn't have. Oh well, it's only money.

The pattern from Charm School was so easy that I couldn't help myself. Not only did I make a baby top out of the fabric I purchased (the brown collection below), but I grabbed another charm pack from my stash (Valentines fabric). I figure my creations play into my whole, finish 2 old in order to work on 1 new. I certainly finished the 2 old over the last 2 weeks. Pulling from the stash and completing the new top to boot, should also count as finishing an old. Anyhow... The pattern was from Moda. As you can tell it was very simple to put together. I like those type of patterns occasionally.

The official start of Machine Quilting Month will begin tomorrow. I'm armed with new design ideas from Pajama Quilter Dawn Rameriz and Patsy Thompson. The first quilt will be the baby quilt that DH requested for his work friend.

Someone Slap Me Please!

I joke with my friends at work and the ladies in my sewing group that I really need a 12 step program. I tell them all that I'm working Step 1 by admitting that I have a problem. I can verbalize my problem and obviously write about my problem. I love fabric. I can't help myself. All the colors and the feel of the fabric get me all "tingly'. Then show me a fat quarter bundle or jelly roll of colors that I would never think could possible go together and I'm close to loosing my mind. The cool pattern to use the fabric, well that's what sends me completely over the edge. So maybe I am a McQuilter too.

Today for example, I went to my new favorite hang out, Harper's, for lunch. I felt like I was in an episode of Cheers (no specific episode) where Norm is greeted by his friends. Today I heard "BECKY" come out of 3 peoples mouths at the same time. That right there should have been the signal that I'm there way too much. I went to collect my fabric from Sunday's "strip club" get together that I couldn't attend. (I thought it would be rude to tell the 4 year old going to the fabric store took rank over her birthday.) I didn't even have to tell them why I was there, someone was already digging in the bin behind the counter. YIKES.

To add to my problem was the new bundle sitting on the counter for next month's strip club. I passed, but that's all I've been thinking about since I got back from lunch - do I, don't I, no I have enough strips (jelly rolls), very cool because its colors I wouldn't pick. See....I really think I need someone to slap me.

Yesterday I mentioned that I was trying to post a picture and couldn't. Here's what I wanted to share. My little helper. The fortunate thing for him was he had the comfy chair so I had to grab the hard kitchen chair to sew with. The things I do to keep the kitties happy. Up for a game of Where's Waldo? Shiner is a bit hard to see since I was working with black fabric and he's black.

Feeling Fabric

What is it about feeling fabric that can tame the savage beast? I have yet to figure out why touching fabric can take me from a cranky state to a normal person again. Is it the slick feel of the fabric? Is it the colors that I'm looking at? What's the psychology behind it? For a while, I had fabric hiding in my desk draw at work for just those occasions. Then I decided to make something with it and took it all home. While I'm on a mission to stash bust, I really think I NEED to venture out to my LQS at lunch at pick up some fat quarters to replenish my drawer.

With the end of the year just around the corner, all the work craziness is coming to a head. If I hear one more person ask me if I can get something done today because they are going on vacation, I might SCREAM. As my husband would say, that's a YP (your problem), not an MP (my problem). I've been good at smiling and nodding today, but in the back of my head all I keep repeating is "You've got to be kidding me!"

So, TTFN, I'm off to Harper's for a sanity check.