Friday Finishes

How's your week been?  This has been a rough week with my friend's son passing away Sunday and all the preparations.  Today we lay him to rest.  The family of quilter's rallied around her because she doesn't have family here.  As the family arrived we faded into the background just cooking and cleaning so the family could comfort her.  Please pray for my friend and those of us who will be helping her through this very rough time as everyone goes back home.

This was favorite salad, comfort food.  I delivered another one last night.

 

When I was home this week, I quilted.  Quilting has always been therapy for me.  I really began quilting on a daily basis when I lost my mother in 1998.  When I just couldn't cope, I would go down and sew.  Piecing has been my favorite part of quilting.

 

Here is a beautiful winter quilt with pine boughs and cardinals on the fabrics.

 I used Magnifico thread in off-white.  The pattern is snowflakes E2E by Digitech.

 

 

 

This is a beautiful Spring colored quilt.  I used Lime green Glide Thread and the pattern is Swirling b2b by Anne Bright.

 

 

 

Are you ready for the Super Bowl Weekend?  I have watched the Budweiser commercial with tears in my eyes.  We will be having a few friends over for dinner to watch the Super Bowl.

 

 

Today I am linking up with ..... Confessions of a Fabric Addict, Link a Finish Friday, Freedom Fridays, and Crazy Mom Quilts. 

 

Yours in quilting,

Terry

 

 

Missing in Action

I know you will all understand why I have not been blogging this week.  Sunday morning one of my closest quilting sister's son died at the young age of 20.  We have rallied around her to support her and her family through this very difficult time.

Please pray for my friend and her family.  Three of us are going out to cook and clean for the family each day.  The wake will be tomorrow and the funeral on Friday.  Thank you for your patience and understanding while I help my friend and her family thru this tragedy.

Yours in quilting,
Terry

Friday Free Patterns

Hope you are all ready for the weekend and have quilty projects lined up to work on.  Life has gotten in the way of quilting the rest of this week.  Bill paying, running errands, running the dog to the vet for re-check on infection, cooking, and cleaning, etc.  Also, I have quilts that have been delivered by customers. Five new quilts arrived yesterday.  Here are three of the five as a teaser.

I had a consultation on a quilt this morning.  This morning's quilt went back home while the backing is made bigger.  Sorry no picture to show.  It is a t-shirt quilt.

 

I have a quilt loaded on the longarm, the pattern of quilting is planned, the machine is cleaned and the bobbins are ready.  If I get the quilt done today, I will come back and upload a picture.

 

Don't you just love those free patterns to use up scraps.  Here a Bitty Block idea from Quiltmaker.

 

http://www.quiltmaker.com/blogs/quiltypleasures/?p=26043

 

McCall's has free Friday patterns that are scrap happy, also.

 

http://click.e.quiltingdaily.com/?qs=e71737fa29fbc937e05d3c5adb7907c639208350944e3dc725b66a17067e2c3f22f2cdd36b034618

 

Now I am heading back down to get some work down but a little chocolate brownie for some energy and a cup of chai green tea.  I guess you might say the brownies are the finish of the week!

 

 

Today I am linking up with ..... Confessions of a Fabric Addict, Link a Finish Friday, Freedom Fridays, and Crazy Mom Quilts. 

 

Yours in quilting,

Terry

 

Tuesday Tip-Cooking for Sew Day

When we have sewing days, we divide up the chores and cooking.

 

The past couple of days, each person signed up to cook a meal.  I cooked Saturday's lunch.  The menu was as follows:

Chili with crackers and cheese.

Fluffy jello salad

Baked custard with Toffee Crackers

 

The chili recipe I prefer is the McCormick spice packet for Chili that you purchase in the grocery store.  I use tomato juice as the liquid for a rich chili.  Just follow the instructions on the packet. For dinner that night we had a baked potato bar and used the chili as one of the toppings.

 

Baked Potatoes in the Slow Cooker

Wash and wrap potatoes in foil.  Prick potatoes and put in Crock Pot with 1/4 c water.  Cook for 8 hours on low.

 

Fluffy Jello Salad

 

1 pkg of jello

1 cup boiling water

1 cup marshmellows

1 med. can of mandarin oranges, drained well

Mix jello with boiling water until dissolved.  Put one cup of ice cubes in jello until dissolved.  Let jello partial set up and then fold in 8 oz of Cool Whip.  Fold in oranges and marshmallows and chill.

 

Baked Custard recipe in the Better Homes and Garden Cook Book. Tripled the recipe.

 

Toffee Crackers

 

Line a jellyroll cookie sheet with foil and spray with Pam cooking spray.  Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees.  Fill jelly roll pan with Club crackers laying them edge to edge to cover the pan.

 

In a small sauce pan melt 1/2 c. margarine and 1/2 c. white sugar.  Bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes.  Remove from heat and add 1/2 tsp vanilla.  Pour hot mixture over crackers. Sprinkle with 1/2 c. pecan chips

 

Bake in the oven for about 10-12 minutes.  Remove from the oven and cool for a few minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack or parchment paper.  Made two batches.

 

Today I am linking up with Connie at Freemotion by the River.

 

Yours in quilting,

Terry



Design Wall Monday

My bags are packed and I am ready to go. 

1.  Projects, check

2.  Food for lunch, check

3. Sewing tools, patterns, rulers, rotary cutter, check

4.  Sewing machine, check

Yes, I have packed everything but the kitchen sink.

 

Sign posted in the kitchen.

 

The van arrived early to pick me up and next thing I knew we had arrived safely.

Let the fun begin. 

 

The first project completed.  Bean bag chairs for Corry's granddaughter's American Girl Dolls. 

Then Corry moved onto making pillow cases, throw pillows and bolsters for the American Girl Doll bunk beds. 

Corry's final project was blocks for her UFO Vintage Stitches which is an old BOM project.

 

Next our host, Susan, was working on quilting this beautiful quilt. 

 

Elisha (left) and Sylvia(right) busy at one of the ironing stations.  Elisha is a newbie.  She made us homemade Egg Nog.  Yum, Yum so she is a keeper.    

 

Kathy C, Susie M,  and Barb A in a deep discussion.

 

What a fun group with a large sense of humor. 

Yes, got everyone together for a group picture.  We were wearing our heart glasses and kazoo lips.

 

Homemaker Mary sporting her UFO apron, completed!

 

I worked on my Grand Illusion Quilt (2014-2015 Bonnie Hunter Mystery Quilt). 

 

I had a lesson from Corry on how to sew in the zipper on this project.  Like I told you Saturday, you can' make just one.  These are triangle pouches.

 

Kathy O took the class in fractured quilts and what a beauty she created.   

 

Elisha also took the class in fractured quilts and produced this poinsettia beauty.

 

 

Barb and I escaped outside while the sun was shining hoping to sight some bald eagles along the mighty Mississippi River.  The views were spectacular but no eagles.  We walked about a mile along the shoreline getting plenty of fresh air.  We were trying to burn off some calories because we have eaten so much great food. 

 

Kathy C.  made quite a few of these travel size pillowcases for all her grandsons.

 

Kathy C. moved on to making dinosaurs out of leftover Shannon scraps. 

 

Barb worked on cutting up scrap fabrics on an Accu Cut Go.  Then she moved on to making these blocks from leftover batiks. 

 

Susie, on the right, was making a double wedding ring quilt using the Smart Quilt method.  Corry, on the left, was helping lay out the blocks. 

 

Barb made this lovely t-shirt quilt for her son-in-law.  She sat and visited with each of us while she was sewing on the binding.  I gave her a lesson in adding the hanging sleeve for our upcoming quilt show. 

 

Thanks for sharing my story from our wonderfully relaxing sew days this weekend.

 

 Today I am linking up with Judy at Patchwork Times.

 

Yours in quilting,

Terry

Saturday Cuties

Gone quilting with my peeps.  Have a great weekend and enjoy the warmer weather we are experiencing.  My husband and son are home taking care of the animals.

 

We all need organization ideas for our sewing rooms.  Check out the organizing pouches made by Crazy Mom Quilts out of leftovers.  They take up less space than storage tubs or boxes.

http://crazymomquilts.blogspot.com/2015/01/one-step-closer-to-organization.html

Don't you think this is the cutest little triangle pouch?  Bet you can't make just one.

 

http://aspoonfulofsugardesigns.com/2014/12/triangle-pouch/

 

Yours in quilting,

Terry

Friday Finishes & Super Husband

This morning I received the nicest surprise.  Just before my husband left for work, he said, "now you can just go up and take your shower".  I said, "no I have to go do the horse chores first and then come home to shower".  He said, "you missed all the hints this morning, I have already done the horse chores, the dishes, and started a load of laundry.  Go get ready for your sew day and have fun".  Wow!  He snuck out of bed at 5:30 a.m. and surprised me.  What a treat!  I have a Super Husband!

 

I am so excited four quilts are off my waiting list.  All four quilts are bound for the St. Jude's Auction planned for the first weekend in March.  This will support our St. Jude's affiliate in Peoria, Illinois.  The first quilt shown is the Polka Dot baby quilt by Stephanie O'Laughlin.

 

 

 

Second, is the Whale of a quilt by Kelly Lynn. The three quilts shown below are the Yellow Brick Road Pattern. It is quilted with purple thread and curly waves.

 

Third, is the Black Beauty by Kelly Lynn.  This is quilted with black thread and Drop of Paisley design.

 

The fourth quilt was finished in October just before our remodel project shut down my quilting. It was made by Stephanie O'Laughlin.

Congratulations, Stephanie and Kelly, on your beautiful quilts.

I had a nice surprise as I linked up with other blogs today.  I am featured at Link a Finish Friday with Richard and Tanya.  Stop by and tell them thank for featuring the orange polka dot quilt made by Stephanie.

 

Today I am linking up with ..... Confessions of a Fabric Addict, Link a Finish Friday, Freedom Fridays, and Crazy Mom Quilts. 

 

Yours in quilting,

Terry

 

 

Vintage Thursday & Cooking It Up

Today my blog is in vintage memory of my mother and a long time family friend, Willamae.  This week is the anniversary of my mother's death 17 years ago at the age of 59.  She was a fabulous wife and mother along with being a great friend to many.  She was healthy until the last two months of her life when she was diagnosed with a gleoblastoma, brain tumor.  She is the reason I love to quilt, sew and craft.  Also, she was the caregiver in our family and I have taken over that roll.  Believe me those have not been easy shoes to fill.  Love and miss you, Mom.

 

Willamae just passed away on Jan. 5th.  She has been our family friend as long as I can remember.  My first memory was of her was working with my mother as a radiologist.  She also was my Grandma Ruth's best friend.  The adventures those two had together would fill a book or two.  I hope my mom, Willamae and Grandma Ruth are having a great reunion in heaven!

 

Yesterday was another whirlwind day.  I went to the basement to get a black and white quilt started.  I immediately was interrupted by a phone call from Matt, who wanted to come look at my furnace and see if he could add a couple of vents in the basement.  After checking out the situation and a short trip to Holt Supply, I now have two vents in my sewing area.  Yippee, another item checked off my To Do List.

 

While on Facebook I found some yummy looking recipes and decided to try them.  I grabbed a bag of my shredded chicken.  See post HERE about making pre-cooking chicken.  First, I found the recipe for Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole.

 

I had so much chicken in the freezer bag, I decided to make this recipe of Chicken Fried Rice.  It is better than take out.

 

This morning I made Toffee Crackers for our Sew Days this weekend.  I have already made and froze chili for Saturday lunch.  Later today I will finish the second part of my dessert which will be homemade custard to pair with the Toffee Crackers. 

 

Can you tell, I just love cooking in my new kitchen?  Now to head to the basement to finish the black and white quilt for my Friday Finish post.  Also, the quilt will get delivered to its owner this weekend.

 The quilting pattern is Drop of Paisley.

 

Its sunny and bright outside and the temperature is suppose to reach 32 degrees.  We are having a heat wave and I am very thankful.

 

Today I have linked up with Kelly at My Quilt Infatuation.

 

Yours in quilting,

Terry

 

 

Work in Progress - Free BOMs

There is a group of ladies that I sew with that like the free Block-of-the-Month's available on several blogs or websites.  Today I am sharing the ones that have just started.  You need to print or download the patterns each month.  Most are only free during the month posted.  If you are late then you will have to pay a small fee to get that month's pattern.

 

Quilt Doodle Designs 2015 BOM

January Pattern: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-UGYD12TSr-b1BUcjNuaGotSGM/view?usp=sharing

Supply List: http://www.craftsy.com/pattern/quilting/home-decor/quilt-doodle-bom-2015-supply-list/125726

http://quiltdoodledesigns.blogspot.com/2014/12/quilt-doodle-bom-2015.html?spref=bl

Guess what?  I found another free BOM.  Last year it was created by Country Threads and they have retired and gone out of business.  Mandy has taken over for them and here is the January block. 

http://farmchickquilts.com/news/january-online-block-month/

I just discovered this Scrap-in-a-Box Free BOM

http://scrapitudequilts.com/hello-world/

http://scrapitudequilts.com/scrap-in-a-box-cutting-instructions/

http://1000needles.com/quilt-gallery/current-projects/scrapitude-2015-scrap-in-a-box/

 

I am working on Bonnie Hunter's Grand Illusion Mystery.  Since I spend most of my time quilting for others, I am very behind but I have all the clues printed out.  I have been working on cutting.

 Organization

 Chain piecing

 Along with a few units assembled.

Its a work in progress (WIP).

 

Today I am linking up with Lee at Freshly Pieced for WIP-Wednesday.  Now I am heading to the basement to get a black and white quilt quilted.

 

Yours in quilting,

Terry