January finish, with one day to spare

Not a great photo, but this is my UFO finish for January, number 5 on my list, Neighbor's Fence.  I started this quilt either 3 or 4 years ago, I can't really remember.  It was finished all except the borders, for some reason I have problems adding borders to quilts.  I get to that point and then have a hard time finishing it.    I made it to use up some of the flannel scraps that I had been collecting.  This is the second quilt I have made by this pattern, the first one was made from batiks; they look totally different.  I like the appliqued stars, I think they add a little something to the quilt. 

Better look at the gold stars. 

Stashbusting

I actually did some sewing this week, therefore some stash was used.

This week:
In-0
Out-1.5
This year:
In-5
Out 1.5
Stash Busted:  3.5

Great New Read

I love to read books by Southern authors, and Terry Kay is one of my favorites.  Most people are familiar with his book, To Dance With the White Dog, which was made into a  movie several years ago.  I have read all of his books and have been lucky enough to meet and talk with  him several times.  His new book, Bogmeadow's Wish, is a different type of  book for him, not as serious as his last few have been; but very enjoyable.  I just finished it this morning while eating breakfast, I tried to last night but was too tired.  It makes you believe in magic again, I will definitely be looking for a leprechaun.  I didn't write the summary below, cut and paste is a wonderful thing.  I do highly recommend this book, and any of his other titles. 

When Cooper Coghlan arrives in Ireland with the cremains of his grandfather, Finn Coghlan, he has one instruction: Let my ashes blow in the wind. You'll know the place when you come to it. I'll be there, telling you. He also has the tender memories of his grandfather's exaggerated stories of Irish wonder and magic – stories of leprechauns and legends and the mysterious power of fate. But he does not have the story of why his grandfather left Ireland as a young man. That is to be the wonder of his discovery.

Mesmerized by his romantic vision of Ireland, Cooper begins his search with the unknowing help of friends in America who have employed a charming, down-on-his-luck Irish actor named Sandy McAfee to con his way into Cooper's life as his guide. Yet neither is prepared for the presence of Kathleen O'Reilly, a public relations specialist whose tour on behalf of the NewTree campaign is eerily parallel to the travels that Sandy plots in leading Cooper on his hunt for his grandfather's ghost. And in those landmarks – Waterford, Youghal, Cork, Killarney, the Ring of Kerry, Tralee, Kenmare, Dingle – the fate of the Irish that Finn Coghlan talked of, magically brings Cooper and Kathleen together.

Yet, there is a truth between the two of them that not even the enchanting tale of Finn McCool and Sally Cavanaugh, or of Patrick the Believer, can resolve. For that, Cooper must use the one gift bestowed on him as a child by his grandfather – Bogmeadow's wish.

Sunday Stash Report

I am really trying to not add too much to my stash this year.  I failed miserably this week.  I found several online sales, however, I did only purchase fabric that I had plans for. 

Stash in 10 yards
Stash out 3 yards

Stash  In  +7 yards

NewFO'S

I discovered Cat Patches a few weeks ago and thought what  a wonderful idea.  Most of us usually focus on the quilts we want to finish each year and not the ones we want to make.  I usually end up starting as many as I finish if not more.  This year I have several on my NewFO list:
1.  Comfort and Joy by Pat Wys
2.  Jelly Stone 
3.  Northern Lights by Thimbleberries  (this is a really, really old kit)
4.  Cheaper By the Dozen
5.  Several different Schnibbles
6.  Tag Sale  by Miss Rosie
7.  Ruby Slippers
8.  Emma from Two Sisters (hope to use the red and white charm squares from a swap last year)
9.  Times Past ( a Christmas quilt, this is another really, really old kit from Moda). 
10. Stargazing by Pat Wys
You can probably tell that I am cleaning out my sewing room from all of the old kits that I have listed.  Wish me luck. 

Christmas through the year

From this to

this.

 

I just finished my January project for Christmas through the year.  I am in the process of reorganizing my sewing room and found tons of Chrismtas fabric that I had forgotten all about.  I pulled out enough to make pillowcases for my two great nephews and my great niece for Christmas this year.  Now if I can just put them somewhere I won't loose them.

BRRRRR!

It was a cold weekend at the cabin, the outdoor temp is 22 and the indoor temp is 34.  NO HEAT.  Thank goodness, Pat, Becky, Kristie, and I had cancelled our sewing trip to the mountains.  We would have frozen!  Thankfully it was a minor problem, but one that did take time to get repaired.  Since we escaped frostbite, we now have to reschedule our trip. 

Design Wall Monday

I finally have something on my design wall.  I am in the process of rearranging my sewing room and have been working on that instead of sewing.  This is a Bonnie Blue pattern, The Long Road Home, that several of us Thimbles did as a trade last summer.  I think that I am the only person who hasn't finished it.  It is on my UFO list for the year, and I hope to get it done this month.  I thought that I had all of the blocks sewn together but to my dismay I am short 20 of the pieced blocks.  I wanted to work on them today, however I am having some sort of elbow problem and it is painful to use  a rotary cutter.  (and of course I needed to cut some more of the 1 1/2 x 1 1/2 pieces.  DH came down while I was putting this on the design wall and made several positive comments about it. He said from a distance the little squares looked like marbles.  I have to say after I looked at it from where he was standing I agreed with him.  Wish me luck. 

Most useful present

My cowboy rain boots are one of my favorite and (this week) most useful Christmas presents.  Do you have any idea how hard these things are to find?   I told DH last summer that I wanted some for Christmas, I was giving him plenty of time to find them.  I know he had been looking but with no success.  A few weeks before Christmas we were at his favorite store, Bass Pro Shop when I happened to see these.  I quickly pointed them out to him.  He was definitely paying attention, because they were under the tree.  They have really come in handy this week with all of the rain that we have had here in Atlanta. 

Come on aboard!!

Do you have the best intentions to make Christmas presents every year but get sidetracked?  That happens to me sometimes.  I hope not this year!!  I am joining Cheryl over and Polk Dots and Rick Rack in her monthly Christmas club.  It is really simple make one Christmas gift each  month and blog about it by the end of the month.  It doesn't have to be a huge gift, it could be something small like pillowcases or big like a quilt.  I have already decided on some presents that I want to get made this year and this will definitely keep me on track.

My Brother did a great job!!

Last fall I was lucky enough to attend the Houston Quilt Show and Market with 3 of my best buddies, Pat, Becky and Kristie. Kristie, Becky and I were actually there to help Pat out in her booth.  As you can imagine market was wonderful!!! I had absolutely no trouble  finding fabric and other sewing type things that I wanted to bring home with me, however; I wanted to buy a special book or something to remind me of my trip.  The major thing stopping me was budget, I was really trying to be a good girl and not spend too much.  While Kristie and I were walking around one afternoon looking at the quilts  I noticed a book, Lone Stars III, A Legacy of Texas Quilts 1986-2011.  I really, really wanted to buy it.   I picked it up and looked at it, but decided that the price was just a little too much for me.  I kept thinking about it after returning home and decided to put it on my Christmas list for my brother and niece.  (I knew if anyone got it for me it would be my brother).  Much to my surprise, he did get it for me.  The book is absolutely wonderful.  The prologue contains a brief timeline of U.S. history from 1986-2011, and the quilts are arranged by year.  It is really interesting to see the style of quilts change over the years and to see how national events can influence our quilting.  If you are looking for a great book to add to your library, I would definitely recommend this one.

UFO'S for 2012

Snowman A-Z

I always have the best of intentions to finish all of my UFO's each year.  Who doesn't??  Out of 11 UFO'S that I listed last year.  I finished only 5 of them, and those were at the beginning of the year.  I always get off to a great start, but about half way through the year, I loose steam, and fall behind.  This year I vow to finish all of the UFO's that I list.  (Hopefully, I can do it.)  Last year I finished Snowman A-Z, Grandpa's Best, Buckeye Beauty, Turning Twenty, and Neighbor's Fence.  Of the six UFO's left, they will go back on my list this year, plus  six more, one for each month.  My UFO'S for this year:  Wrapped in Comfort ( I am determined to finish this one, it has been on my list for the last two years. ), Pinwheels  and Patchwork, Neighbor's Fence, Scrappy Nines, Star Gazing, Carrie Hall Sampler, Blueberry Hill, Long Road Home, Orca Bay, Roll, Roll, Cotton 1Boll, Sassy Sixteen, and Jo Morton's Snowball.   Wish me luck!

2012 Already???

I can't beleive that it is already 2012, where did 2011 go?  Wherever it went, it went quickly.  Each new year I am always so ambitious, I don't think that I will be this year, usually I only get about 1/4 done of what I plan on.  This year I am going to go with the flow, if it gets done, great if not that is great too.  I just told DH that this was the most  un-New Year's ever.  I got up yesterday morning thinking that I would watch the Rose Parade, but no it wasn 't on until today, and of course I had to go back to work today.  Oh, well.  DH and I did the traditional southern New Year's day menu of Collard Green's, black eye peas, cornbread and we added smoked chicken.


 DH wanted to play with the smoker that I gave him for Christmas.  (He surprised me with a laptop, I think  he just wanted me to not use his anymore.)  The smoked chicken was wonderful.  I think that there will probably be some smoked ribs when I get home this afternoon.

Happy New Year!!!

I hope that everyone has a wonderful safe and happy New Year.