Getting It Done–January 2013

Judy of Patchwork Times is hosting a new linky party for 2013.  She is asking us to list four things we want to get done for the next month on the last day of the month and then report on progress the last day of that month.  Not sure if that makes sense but you can go to her blog and read about it.  I have decided to participate.  For January I want to accomplish the following.

1.  Complete Easy Street, including quilting and binding.

2.  Quilt Winter Wonderland.

3.  Finish one quilt for donation.

4.  Get out my scrappy bargello and complete the blocks necessary to make a quilt for my bed – not sure how much work that will be.

I have a lot of other things I would like to get done but if I can complete this list it will be a good month.

Check out the other hopes and dreams on Patchwork Times.

Melinda

Design Wall Monday–December 31, 2012

Well, it is the last day of 2012 and I think I have managed to post my design wall every Monday – at least almost all of them.  I hope to keep it up next year.  Today I have a small design wall but will have more on it soon.

Here is the first corner of my Easy Street.  I still have some parts to finish but have most of them done and should be able to finish the rest today.

Still working on the purple flying geese.

This is not clue 2 – don’t know how that number got in there.

I have the purple flying geese to make and attach to the turquoise ones.  I also need to do today’s clue but hope to have everything caught up by tonight.  Unfortunately I have to work at the quilt shop tomorrow so won’t be sewing but Wednesday looks good.

For more design walls, go to Patchwork Times.

Melinda

Gift from California

Although I live in Georgia, I am really a California girl – through and through.  I was born in Exeter and grew up in Long Beach.  I have lived in Huntington Beach, Torrance, Long Beach, Lakewood, Encinitas, Mountain View and San Jose.  Probably other places that I don’t remember.  I left California in 1990 when I moved to Australia (a whole other story).  California is still home to me.

My daughter lives in San Francisco and look what she sent me for Christmas.

I do love you California even if I now have “Georgia on my Mind”.

Melinda

Sock Monkey Christmas

We had a sock monkey Christmas.  First was this gift from someone (I have a good idea who) at Tiny Stitches.

He sings and dances – what next!

I finally finished the sock monkey quilt I started years ago for Bill.  I made the blocks and then they got set aside and forgotten.  I found them, trimmed them and sewed them together.  On Friday I got it quilted and started the binding on Monday – Christmas Eve.  I had to give it to Bill without the binding complete but managed to finish it completely on Christmas Day.

He has taken several naps under it so I think it was a hit.

Melinda

Christmas Gift From My Sister

Look at the wonderful purse my sister Robin made for me.

Here is a close-up of the pocket.  Look at the wonderful yo-yo flowers and wool leaves.  I love it.  The inside of the purse is more polka dots!  What a perfect gift.

Melinda

Design Wall Monday–December 24, 2012

On my design wall today are parts of Easy Street.  I still haven’t finished the first clue but have a few made for each clue.  Here are the current ones.

and here are a few of some of the other clues.

I still have the binding to finish on the quilt I made for Bill for Christmas so I am off to do that.

For more design walls, go to Patchwork Times.  I am also linking to Bonnie’s blog at Quiltville.

Melinda

Christmas Dinner With Friends

We had a wonderful dinner last night.  Good food, drinks and even better friends.

Here are the gifts I made for each of them.  I am showing them in the same order we are seated.  First is Stella’s pillowcases.

She got two of them.  She has a different gift than the others because I already had made her the pillow I gave the rest of the ladies.

Next is Danielle.

The next pillow belongs to Jan.

Fuzzy photo but hers is made from Mama Said Sew and the words are quilt block names.  Next is Lynda’s pillow.

At least the front of this pillow is clear.  Lynda and I have been to many yarn shops together so this was appropriate.

Tomorrow I will post all the wonderful gifts I got from them.

Melinda

Hexie Class

I taught the second part of the hexie class last week.  Here is the pillow I finished out of the flower we did in class.

I decided to quilt it and it only took a few minutes on the Gammill.  It finished to 14 inches which is the size pillow form I happened to have.

Here is Frank’s.

He is working on a bunch of Christmas hexie flowers.  He has penguins, santas and reindeer.  Very cute!

The others worked on finishing the applique for their pillows.

Having a lot of fun.  By the way, we were using 1 1/4” hexies for this project.

I am linking up with Sarah’s Help for Hexie-aholics.

Melinda

Design Wall Monday–December 17, 2012

Today I have a design table and a plan.

These piles of fabrics will be turned into Christmas gifts by this afternoon – at least that is the plan.  The gift exchange will be tonight and I would hate to have to give out IOUs.

I have been busy quilting customer quilts – almost done but haven’t had time to do anything else which is why I haven’t posted for the past few days.  Last Friday was the ECQG Holiday party.  I was asked to teach a make and take.  I have done it a couple of other years.  This year I taught a cute little bobbin flower pin.  I cut the fabric (red batik) with my zig-zag rotary cutter blade, bought the bobbins and pinbacks from eBay.  They were packaged up in little kits that we handed out.  It only takes a few minutes and everyone looked festive when wearing their new flower pins.

The first one (red) is one made during make and take.  The black and white one was made last year by my friend Janice for all the Piecemakers.  I stole her idea (with her permission).  Is anyone interested in a tutorial?  It is very simple.

For more design walls, go to Patchwork Times and get inspired.

Melinda

Sock monkey

New sock monkey fabric. I am thinking pillowcases.

Christmas Decorations

We decided not to decorate as usual this year.  Too much to do and not enough time to do it in.  We went out and got a new little tree and set it up on a side table.  We also got a set of red ornaments.  I love it.

With the little tree skirt from Mary, it is perfect for this year.

Melinda

Design Wall Monday–December 10, 2012

I took down the blue and white zig-zag quilt.  I still plan on working on it, but it was bothering me and I need a rest from it.  On my design ironing board today are the fabrics I am going to use for out annual mystery quilt at the Tiny Stitches retreat next month.

Debbie Caffrey has designed the quilt for our last several years, We are so excited that she is actually going to come to the retreat with us this year.

Here is the fabric I choose.

The directions call for 5 fabrics from light to very dark.  Starting from the left here are mine.  The check is my sashing and binding and the floral is my border.  I love these new Lakehouse fabrics from Pam Kitty Morning.

Lynda, Debbie and I went to the Empty Bowl Brunch yesterday.  This is our second year.  Here are the bowls we picked out.

Lynda’s is on the left, mine in the middle and Debbie’s on the right.  We filled them with soup and had a lovely lunch.

Here are a couple of photos of the bowls on tables waiting to be selected.

Can’t wait until next year.

For more design walls, go to Patchwork Times.  There is always lots of inspiration there.

Melinda

Allatoona Quilters’ Guild–President’s Quilt

As is traditional in most quilt guilds, we make a quilt for the President each year, as a thank you for all their hard work on our behalf.  Nancy has been the president during 2012 and a beautiful quilt was made for her.

We were first shown the back of the quilt.

Lots of signature blocks and extra stars from the front.  Here is the front.

Nancy is on the right.  As you can see from the photo, she was very pleased with her quilt.

Melinda

Gift from Mary

Here is my gift from the employee Christmas party on Monday night.  Mary had my name for the second year in a row.  She mad me this wonderful little tree skirt.

Isn’t it cute?  I love it.

Melinda

Holiday Open House at Tiny Stitches

Yesterday was the holiday open house at Tiny Stitches.  We did two sessions, one in the morning and another in the evening.  I think everyone had a good time.  I worked both sessions but was able to leave at lunch time and even took a short nap in the afternoon.

Here are a few photos.

This was the main display near the front door.

Looking the other direction.

Carolyn cutting fabric for happy customers.

Santa at his part-time job in the quilt shop.

Here is Santa with Debbi and Barb.  We all had reindeer headbands.

Lastly, here I am with Santa.

We had fun and the customers did also.

Melinda

Acworth Police and Allatoona Quilters’ Guild

Every year for part of our community service project, we make quilts to give to the Acworth Police Department.  This year, Carolyn introduced two new things to the members.  First she asked for a pledge from each person to make at least one quilt.  She also taught them how to make string quilts.  With these two ideas, we ended up with more quilts than ever before.  There were 108 quilts and the police were delighted.

Eight officers, including the police chief, came to our meeting to accept the quilts and to take them with them.

The police chief (in the center) was gracious and explained how they use the quilts during the year.  When they have to remove a child from a home for any reason, they give them a quilt.  They also share with some other agencies.

You can see the stacks of quilts at their feet.  Carolyn is on the right.

What a feel good day!

Melinda

Tiny Stitches Christmas Party

We had our Christmas Party last night.  For the last seven years we have had dinner at Aspens – a local very nice restaurant.  All the employees are usually there but last night two were missing.  Cindy was sick and Cathy is in Florida with a new grandchild.

Besides a lovely dinner and great company, we exchange names for a Secret Santa gift.  We only have one rule – we make the gift.

I made a pin cushion for Barb. 

I also made her some stitch markers for knitting but forgot to get a photo of them.

My gift was made by Mary.  I will take a photo tomorrow when I have good light.  I love it.

Melinda

Piecemakers Christmas Party

We had the Piecemakers Christmas party yesterday.  As usual, it was a wonderful day.  Lots of good food, good friends and even good quilts.

I made a pumpkin roll and it all disappeared so it must have been good.

Today was the day to share the quilts we make from our annual exchange.  We also decided to skip a year and not do an exchange next year but to concentrate on the ones that are not yet finished.

I didn’t get my quilt made but here is a reminder of the blocks I received.

As usual, most of the other women were able to finish at least their quilt tops.  Here is the parade.

Isn’t it fun to see all the different ideas using the same blocks.  We hope to enter all of them in the Bulloch Hall Quilt Show – I would love to get mine done also.  I have until the end of January.

Melinda