HELLO??

HELLO???  ANYBODY OUT THERE??

I know that you thought that I had fallen off the edge of this flat planet.  Truthfully the longer that I procrastinated about blogging the more I wished that I HAD fallen off the planet of the blogging world.  Oh how those snarky comments about bloggers who start a great blog and then leave it starving in the nether world are coming back to haunt me.  So in an effort to redeem myself I will try to catch you up on things that I have been up to for the past .... I don't know SEVEN months or so.  Seems like my last blog was about the bag I made to take to QuiltCon  and that was in February.  Don't tell anyone.  Just read/look and enjoy.

This quilt seems like a good place to start.  This is a quilt I made for my daughter, my Fledgling (she is the Doodle part of DoodleMoochie).  She has flown the coop and needs a quilt to keep her warm.  It is  a log cabin made with a Cotton and Steel focus fabric at the center of each 'cabin'.  I wanted this quilt to be special because before it went to the Doodle (the Fledgling) it was going to be entered in our local quilt show (Lick Skillet Quilt Guild).  So I decided to quilt it like this!

With a giant phone quilted in the bottom left corner.

Before quilting

A close up of the background quilting.

Finished!  The phone quilting part kind of had a slight wrinkle to it (especially after wetting it for blocking).  Hindsight is 20/20 though.  I should have used 2 layers of batting in at least this area for more effective quilting.  Alas, Doodle (the receiving Fledgling) didn't complain and I'm sure that it is just as cuddly without.

A close up of the border quilting.

This quilt won an Honorable Mention at the show.  Fine by me and the Doodle.
Happy Sewing!

AEROPLANE BAG

 I have just completed my Aeroplane Bag by Sara Lawson.  I think that I am going to love it, as it is just small enough not to be cumbersome and just large enough to carry a change of clothes, makeup and toiletries and medicine for one night.  It would also fit under the seat in an airplane and most definitely in the overhead bin.  Hence the name Aeroplane Bag (I'm just guessing here about the origin of the name).  At any rate I think it will prove to be one of my favorite travel bags for car, train or plane.  

Here it is in various states of construction.  It took me a couple of hours to cut out and the better part of a day to sew it together, but I am NOT a bag or garment sewer.  You must follow the instructions step by step and don't try to reason with them.... Just do what the instructions say.  The only real frustrating part for me was the top (outer) zipper.  The instructions were a little vague there, but I managed.  It is not the prettiest zipper installation I have ever done and on close inspection you would totally know that this is a 'home did' bag.  I also quilted the outer/upper sides of the bag in a grid before construction for extra strength.  I am planning on using this bag a lot.  So if you do quilt this area of your bag make sure you enlarge it just slightly (maybe a half inch or so) to allow for shrinkage caused from the quilting process.
 

The inside (sides of the bag).  Each with a zippered pocket!

The outside upper/lower/bottom of the bag and straps.

Turning the bag is so exciting!

Inside of the bag

Ta-Da!  The finished bag.

The only thing that I would change on the next one would be to add an outer pocket between the two straps.  If you really wanted to be fancy you could embroider a monogram on the bag or pocket (should you decide to add an outer pocket).

The real test is hauling it from Alabama to Texas.  Did I mention that I am off to  QuiltCon in a few days?  Surely I did!

You can find the pattern for this bag by clicking here.

Log Cabin Beads

I have been working on one of the prettiest quilts that I have seen in a very long time.  It has about a quarter million pieces to it.  If I wasn't  so lazy busy I would actually do the math for you....  Wait that is a good idea!  I'll do the math (I need to be at my machine, but I did tell you that I am serving the current term as Mayor of Procrastination, didn't I?).  Hold on.  Wait.... I'll be right back.  In the meantime hum to yourself and enjoy these photos...

This is the one my friend Ginger M. made (and I quilted).  I tried to quilt it
like the one in the magazine because theirs is SO pretty.

Spring/Summer edition of Quilt Sampler Magazine 2014

Even my trash can was happy on cutting out day...

Okay...Whew!  I'm back.  Turns out there are only 1,560 pieces in this quilt.  It just felt like I was cutting for a whole day (which I was) and piecing for a week (which I did).  If you can lay your hands on a copy of this magazine YOU. MUST.  This is a well written pattern by the Kathy Hamada over at Stash Walla Walla   I saw it in the magazine (BEE YOU TEE FULL) quilted by the ever talented Teresa Silva.  Then a friend of mine made this pattern in slightly different colors and it is also BEE YOU TEE FULL.  I am not a 'purple person' (all purple people please pardon me) so I have substituted the red in its place.  I am now so very anxious to finish mine!

Right now though I should get back to the studio.  On the frame today is a Judy Niemeyer 'Raindrops' and up after that is a 'Civil War Love Letters'.... and in between the two A TRIP TO QUILTCON!!
Yeppers, you heard right.  This gal is headed to Austin, Texas!  I will send pictures.  Until next time... Let the Fabric Fly!

MeMaw and the Pincle Fit For Nothing

'I have started Ronnie a quilt     Got 4 squares and it will take 20     it takes a long time to make a star     thay call it the waggon wheel quilt    I have never made one like it Before an I wont never make another one like it no more    

I Hope to get it to Him By may' 

I was helping my mom go through some of her paperwork the other day. Sorting out things that needed to be saved and (tons of) things that needed to be thrown away or destroyed.  Among all of this clutter and chaos we found many gems and had a nice long walk down Memory Lane.  She held up an envelope and announced 'This is the last letter my mother wrote to me before she died'.  She read it silently and then handed it over to me.  I tried to read it but had a hard time deciphering my Memaw's handwriting.  I'm not sure my Memaw ever went past elementary school, or even what grade she completed in elementary school.  I handed it back to my mom and she read it aloud.  Knowing that it was the last letter that she had written and finding out that it was (partially) about quilting I immediately asked my mom if I could have the letter.  Of course, she said 'yes'.  I will have it framed and hang it above her treadle Singer sewing machine that I just acquired...

The rest of the story..... She didn't get to finish that quilt for Ronnie (my brother).  My mom was able to find all of the fabric and such when she went to the funeral and a friend finished it for her (for him).  It lays across the foot of one of his guest room beds (and I want to put it in my suitcase every time I visit him).

The last line of the letter reads: 

I am going to bed    this old pincle (pencil) aint fit for nothing   Love to All     Mom

I sure do miss my Memaw......

Finished!

There are so many things in my life that need to be 'finished', and I know that the majority of you all are very much in the same boat with me.  But why do I always feel overwhelmed?   Why does the overwhelming feeling seem to explode every morning at about 3 a.m.?  My eyes lids fly open.  I try to ignore it.  I make myself face away from the clock, pretending that this has NOT happened again.  I turn my pillow over to the cool side and try to close my eyes.  I try to relax.  I try to think happy thoughts. Instead I think of all of the unfinished things in my life.  Maybe if I get up and go to the bathroom it will help.  I doesn't (mainly because I trip over the dog who sleeps in a different spot EVERY night).  I come back to bed.  The dog has moved.  I trip over him again.  Back in the bed I begin to pray for those in need.  This sends me back to sleep.  Maybe God is waking me to pray.....  But when I wake in the morning, I wake with a block of sleep missing....and I drag through the day.

But here is one thing that IS finished thanks to the Mayor of DoodleMoochieville and his best friend who worked for 3 1/2 days to get this all done.  I think it is beautiful.  And it is one thing that is FINISHED and that I no longer think about at 3 in the morning.

BEFORE....Old appliances and countertops..

AFTER...New Viking duel fuel range.  A new vent hood that will suck your eyebrows off.  New granite countertops and a great stainless backsplash.

BEFORE...Old appliances, sink and countertops.

AFTER...new dishwasher, sink, countertops and backsplash (see previous post for close up of this magnificent 'red snake' backsplash).

Red Snake

A sneak peek into my Friday....
that is all.

Star Bright

So I am finally decorating my house after living in it for 2 1/2 years...  I could say I was too busy, or to distracted or didn't have the resources.  But, truth be told, I guess I was just procrastinating (I did mention that I am the Supreme Queen of Procrastination, right?).  We moved into this house with the intention of sharing it with our grown son and my mom.  So I did not decorate right away thinking that each person would bring their own tastes and that I would want to try to blend those styles to make everyone feel at 'home'.  Well, I waited and I waited.  My son did live with us for 2 of the years we have been here, but his belongings were pretty much confined to his area upstairs.  Then guess what? He fell in love and married and moved out.  Annnddd.....my mom has NOT moved in with us yet.  I am tired of waiting on others and tired of procrastinating.  So here goes.
My walls have been blank (for the most part) up until now.  I can't stand it any longer.  When I saw this Star Bright pattern being posted by friends on InstaGram I decided that it would be just the right thing to brighten up my den... and so I gathered up all I needed and made it.  You can find the FREE (yes, I said FREE) pattern on Craftsy, click here Star Bright Free Quilt Pattern.
Here are my results

Playing with fabric placement..

I left it in the floor for a week...

Pieced and quilted.  Ready for the wall!!

I made new covers for the throw pillows on my couch too!

We painted the front door Tiffany Blue.
Sorry this picture is from Christmas.
(My husband is not the procrastinator that I am.)

DONE and DONE

pattern prototype

This is a quilt that I have been working on for a long, long time.  It is not fussy, plain and simple.  Maybe that is why it took my so dang long.  Then again maybe it is because I designed it with the intention of writing and publishing the pattern.  You see, I wrote and published a pattern (Kiara Chevron).  You can find it on Craftsy....please find it on Craftsy!  But writing a pattern is really, really difficult.  Or at least my brain thinks it is.  I am so very paranoid about making sure that all the measurements and calculations are perfectly correct.  And I want it to look professional...no hand drawings or confusing instructions.  It took me forever to write the Kiara Chevron pattern even though it is a beginner pattern.  It also gave me a giant migraine headache and hives, some hair loss and a blurry vision. Not all of which is true.  You decide.  So....I think the completion of this quilt was hindered by the thought of writing the instructions for it (aka procrastination, of which I am honorary Queen).

yardage calculations...eeekkkk!

piecing complete!

scrappy binding ready

Finished product, fresh out of the dryer.

I am still on the fence about writing instructions for this quilt.  What do you think?  I really have a lot of the work finished. Only the computer part remains...Hahahaaha....ONLY the computer part remains.  I think I feel my hair beginning to fall out....

2013 CUSTOM FINISH!

I am so relieved to be able to relax and enjoy the Christmas season now.  I have finished the last custom quilt for the year.  It is the one below.  A PineBurr quilt pieced by Ginger.  Did you know that the PineBurr quilt is the 'state quilt' of Alabama?  Who knew?  Does every state have a 'state quilt'?  I have to say that the piecing is really well done and the fabrics are beautiful.  It is always a breath of fresh air to quilt one like this!!  

Tomorrow I will go to the airport and pick up the Doodle part of 'DoodleMoochie'.  I am so excited to be finished with 'work' for the year and be able to now concentrate on family and Christmas.  Thanks to all of my clients for a great year!

And now, enjoy the pics.  Front and back.

6 Months in a Day

Here is what I have been up to for the last six months....

The wedding of a dear, sweet friend.

Revisited places from my childhood on a trip to the Midwest.

Spent time laughing and making memories with family.

And I quilted a little too!

More quilting....

Took a trip to see my babies in Arizona...

More quilting...

My little girl....

Canned applesauce...YUMMY!

More quilting...

More quilting...

More quilting...

Back of the above quilt.

Another sweet wedding...in which I gained a new daughter
AND a granddaughter!! 

Deep cleaned my studio.

Made a wedding cake.

More quilting.

More quilting.

Attended the opening of 'Spool', a great, new quilt shop in
Chattanooga, Tennessee.

again...should I say it?
More quilting.

Organized my studio...

More fun with family!

A trip or two with the Mayor.

Whew!  That brings us to December.
I am tired!

So that gets us all up to date, no?  You know sometimes I love to read a good, long blog post about something meaningful or thought provoking and some days I just like to 'look at the pictures'.  I hope you were able to enjoy my last six months as much as I have.  Now it is time for the holidays.  Bring on the cookies and egg nog.  Well, maybe just the cookies.