I LOVE GOOGLE

I started a D9P quilt (Disappearing 9-Patch)  Well, I only made one 9 patch before the questions started.  Which color do you want to use the most? Which one is going to show up? Do you want to do it all alike or scrap it up?  So of course I went to my great source of info...Stashbusters and Quiltvillechat with my questions.  While waiting for answers I decided I'd look at some pictures.  So I Googled the phrase disappearing 9 patch and then clicked on images up at the top by the toolbar. Up pops all these great D9P quilts and when you click on the picture most of them take you to the person's blog who made the quilt.  Oh too cool.  Virtual D9P library!!!!  Two hours later I think I have figured out a scheme for this. The corner  squares of the original 9P become the focus or "fussy cut" square, the inside squares become the framing or sashing strips and the center square becomes the cornerstones.  Another thing I figured out from my trip to the D9P Library was there are a ton of blogs of really talented quilters that I haven't visited yet.  That's gonna cut into my cleaning time. Oh, darn!  But what's a quilter to do?

UGG! ANOTHER GREAT GIVEAWAY

Don't you just love those Ugg boots? They just speak warmth and chic! Something a little sexy about a jean leg tucked into one. Um-Huh! Even this ole lady's leg looks good in 'em!  Cool thing is that they are giving them away this month. Sign up HERE to be eligible to win a pair. It just takes your name and email to register.  How simple is that?

We had a wonderful giveaway ourselves yesterday.  Our church group has a terrific young couple who head up our food ministry.  They have been blessed to arrange once a month to have a big semi roll into our huge parking lot and unload between 12 and 20 thousand pounds of food. Cars drive thru, get asked 5 questions...How many households are you picking up for? (An adult for each household must be in the vehicle...the only requirement) What's the last name of each household? How many adults under 65 in each? How many over 65? and How many children? No ID check, no income verification. Then they get a share loaded into their car for each household of whatever the truck has brought. They don't even have to get out of their vehicles.  I get to visit with each car as I sign them up.  It is such a wonderful time of  fellowship and sharing. Sometimes there are tears of gratitude, sometimes of frustration of the circumstances that have required them to come for this blessing. There has been families prayed for and restored through the grace of God. We've had folks come back and thank us for seeing them through a tough time. We get cards of thanks, many just signed anonymously sometimes with a dollar or two tucked in. Yesterday alovely white-haired lady who has come every time since the first and each time proudly confesses to be well over 80, brought me a baggie of homemade caramel corn...her own recipe and delish!  I had to laugh when she grinned  said "Now that's for you. And there's no drugs in it...it's safe." I told her that I would be able to remember her name from now on and wouldn't have to ask it. Caramel corn has been known to help with memory problems, you know.  Our church family has grown and been blessed in ways we never imagined. Yesterday a young man who has been known to be stand-offish, selfish and somewhat belligerent was coerced into volunteering.  After a meeting last night he came up to me and said "I REALLY had fun today." I'm telling you there was something different about him! Sure blessed my heart to witness it! It really is better to give than receive. Imagine that.

WINTER SKY

I woke briefly this morning about 3:00.  It was still dark out but as I raised my head to look out the window I could see the whiteness of the sky...it was the grey overcast heaviness of winter moving in to takeover the scarlets and golds of a departing autumn. That makes me sigh heavily for what that might bring.  I'm counting on the might.  It might be a repeat of the last several mild winters here.

ROLL, ROLL COTTON BOLL MYSTERY

I wonder how many blogs will have those words in their titles in the next few weeks?  Bonnie Hunter over at QUILTVILLE released the first clue to the mystery in the wee hours of this morning.  I got a good start and finished all the units for the first clue.  It took me about four hours.  I have always cut 2 inch strips from scraps so had a bunch already to go.  And luckily a bunch of them were the pink and greens suggested.  I didn't go with the double pink necessarily , just tried to stay away from the real pale one as I figured they would wash out into the neutrals that will be worked in with coming clues.  I'm excited to be participating in this with the folks from all over the world who are members of QuiltvilleChat This is my first mystery ever and I can see how getting a clue each week will help me stay focused to finish.  Here's a pic of the pile of units for the first clue.

Interesting, huh? Not as unorganized as it looks.  They are pinned together in groups of ten and I have a nice tub I'll put them in while I wait for clue 2.  Will be fun to watch this mystery unfold and see all the other posts and pics from around the globe. Ok off for lunch.

Byyyyyyyyyeeeeeeee

TEXTING GRANDKIDS

This morning I sent a text to my four  (...not my hubby's 12 cause they haven't shared their cell #'s) grandkids..."Tell me 5 things you want for Christmas and tell me your favorite colors."  My oldest answered right away saying she didn't have a clue could she let me know by end of day. Sure I answered. Then right away she sent these colors...blue, cobalt, cerulean, red, purple, pink. Sounds like she has read all the mystery-related posts for Bonnie Hunter's Roll, Roll Cotton Boll mystery quilt and is ready to roll. LOL  A quilt for her will be an easy go. Oldest grandson answered "Is there anything you want?" That's always the way he is. Then he sent a very varied list. One big item (tv for HIS room), a book title, a movie title, a game title and a remote for his Xbox.   The other two are probably weighing the possibilities...they are both planners and goal setters.  I am blest!

PRETTY ON A QUILT

This catalog came in the mail today...wouldn't this flowery vine make a great quilt template? I might just have to try that.

I finished (in order) reading number 12 Winding Ways Quilt in the Elm Creek Quilter's series by Jennifer Chiaverini today and while waiting in the doctor's office nearly finished number 13 The Quilter's Kitchen. This is really a short story with lots of recipes. Some of them look pretty interesting.  Might have to try those too. (Oh, btw, just a check up for hubby...clean bill of health. Praise God!)

Going to watch Amelia tonight on the tube. Love Richard Gere so hope his part is big in it. It's about Amelia Earhart, the pilot who disappeared in a flight years ago.

Keep stitching, reading, and watching what you love.

HUSTLING UFO'S

I have incentive to finish a bunch of UFO's I have had for a long time.  I want some of these new crisp looking fabrics I have been seeing on other blogs...like RED PEPPER QUILTS for instance.  I just cannot justify the buy though until I get some of these projects made up.  I am rushing some of them and donating most of them. I have mentioned before that I joined STASHBUSTERS because they have a UFO busting challenge and it has really been helping me stay at it.  I'm going to try to clear most of the 39 UFO's I've listed there before the end of the year.  Most of them have just a bit to do, a matter of putting on my Nike's and just do it! Here's the morning's finishes. The pink one is the one I pin basted and forgot to put the batting in...I think I mentioned that in one of my last blogs. At any rate, I repinned it with the batting this time and this morning quilted it all over with meandering flowers.  Practising FMQing. I see I need to meander more and not do it in such a straight line. PRACTISE! I wrapped the back onto the front creating it's own binding.  The little quilt is the very first FMQing I did with no foot on the machine. And yes, I have already been scolded by others of the dangers of quilting with no foot.  If you read my blog you know I have since purchased a darning foot and boy! what a difference that makes. This makes 15 finishes since I joined Stashbusters in June...do they inspire you to quilt or what!?! I still have an hour left before lunch so I'm gonna go see what else I can line up to finish. Here's pics:

QUILTED ALMOST ALL DAY

I really wanted to finish this Bricks and Stones quilt so I spent this morning sandwiching and pin basting it.  Went to the Chaplain's office and did an hour and half of computer work and got Bibles prepped to hand out as requested.  They have to be stamped "Free from Chaplain" and we like to insert a couple bookmarks and a Daily Bread. Feels good that all the paperwork is done for the weekend and we are ready to fill any requests in a hurry that come in on Monday.  I didn't make any visits as Chaplain was there and had done a round and I wanted to get home before the rain came torrenting in.  It is pouring now!!  When I got home I checked my email quickly and then headed for the DSM and started quilting.  This quilt is twin size and I did a meandering free motion stitch all over so it went fairly fast.  I had made the back large enough to self bind it by doubling the back excess edge twice for strength and then turned it to the front and machine stictched it down so that went quick too.  This quilt is already spoken for to be donated for a halfway house.  I am getting more even with my stitches on the FMQing and am really enjoying the process.   It's on a full size bed and would look better on a twin.  This one used a lot of scraps and is a Bonnie Hunter pattern from over at  Quiltville   She has lots of great patterns and is getting ready to start a mystery quilt on Nov. 19.  Should be lots of fun.

RAGGY FINISHES

In my sorting, flinging, destashing efforts, I keep discovering more UFOs. Found a box with raggy squares I had cut and stitched X's on. So got busy and with a little help from a sister at last Wednesday's sewing class, I got them put together. The two larger ones are recycled denim and flannel shirtings and the baby one is flannel with warm and natural type batting. The baby one will go to Haiti in today's shipment and the other two will go into our free Clothing Boutique at my church. Sure is good to get these projects that were started so long ago finished up. I have been so encouraged by all those quilters at Stashbusters and their prolific performance. Proud to be accepted as part of this great group. Here's some pics with help from Hubby who was very eager to get out to the shop this morning so I accepted one shot of each as sufficient.

Baby Teddy Quilt

6" block recycled denim & flannel shirting (Pay no attention to the yard sale boxes stacked in the background...another UFO of bigger proportions...LOL)

8" block recycled denim & flannel shirting quilt. The white spot near the bottom is a light reflection or something not a spot on the quilt.  Like I said...one shot had to be sufficient this morning. Heh! Heh!  These two denim were put together in total scrappy random order...not too bad a result for a rush project! Now on their way to keep someone warm. Folks really like these rugged denim quilts

A NEW SCRABBLE GAME

I think someone should invent (design?) a Scrabble game where the players had to use the verification words you enter when you leave comments on a blog. Does anyone but me play word games in your head when you see those phrases?

IT MUST HAVE BEEN MONDAY

Yesterday was a wonderful day. It was beautiful weather wise...one of those beautiful Indian Summer days that just make you want to be outside.  I got all the household bills paid early and had time to pin the layers of a quilt together before going to spend time catching up some computer work at the county jail. There I got to have some quality time getting to know our new chaplain.  I did have a couple of goofy things that I just had to laugh at myself for.  I wore a nice pair of gray dress slacks with my grey-blue lighthouse jacket. I put on a pair of grey socks...well in the lighting at home they looked grey. As I got out of the car into the bright fall sunshine, I looked down and yep, those grey socks were definitely brown...rolling my eyes heavenly "Oh, help me, Lord,"  Oh well if anyone mentioned them I'll just point to that tiny bit of brown ground 'neath the lighthouses in my jacket and say innocently "It compliments the earth." When I got home and before going to the Monday night Bible Study I went into the sewing room to audition some thread for the quilt I had pinned that morning.  Mmmmm, there is no batting in this quilt!  I had pinned the top and backing together and forgot to put the batting in. LAMS (laughing at my self) What else can you do? Throw a tizzy fit and then be mad about that, too? That was the old me LOL. Thankfully it is only throw size and not a queen size. Easy fix. I'll be posting a couple of finished raggy quilts in a bit.
May all your socks match and may your batting be in place.
Cheri

WORK, PLAY, REST & A GIVEAWAY

Someone said to me last week, "Oh, Cheri, you work so hard."  Somehow it didn't sound like a compliment, there was just a touch of "tsk, tsk" in the tone of voice.  I like to work hard...I love the satisfaction it gives me to know that I did all I could do toward the job at hand. I  like finished tasks, being able to stand back and look at a room cleaned, laundry all folded, a sparkling window and sigh contentedly. Now that is not to say that I do this all the time.  I think this person has not been around for the play times but has only observed me working.  I like to play just as hard. Nothing is better than a slap-down, laugh-filled game of pitch or canasta. Nothing is better than a discovery filled walk in the woods with my grands. I like to swim and boogie board and sometimes just run for the sheer joy of running, spinning with my arms held wide at the glory that this creation is.  And I enjoy a good rest.  I can take a nap with no guilt, I can spend an evening lolling in front of the TV with no regret, I can sit at the computer all evening knowing there is a sinkful of dishes waiting and feel no remorse. For me, it's all about balance...I reckon I will always work hard, play hard and rest well.  I love my life.

I also like giveaways. Kasey is having a birthday giveaway of some loverly rose fabric and ribbons. Click on her name and go on over to her blog and sign up. She said so far I've got it locked up so go sign up...we don't want anyone "tsk, tsk"-ing that it was a set up deal. 
Keep stitching or whatever it is that brings you joy~~
Cheri