Ready for a Civil War Break!

Today I got the rest of my blocks finished for my Barbara Brackman Civil War Quilt --- except for two applique blocks (Week 40-Order Number Eleven and Week 3-Seven Sisters), and it will probably be after Christmas before I finish them.  I am working on Week 40, but I'm really dreading Week 3 with those seven stars!  I had begun it way back when and gave up, and now I have other things on my mind, so it will just have to wait!  I'm not going to be putting the blocks together until after Christmas anyway. 

I had skipped a few blocks along the way in order to get more suitable fabrics.  Here's what I've done since my last post:

Week 49-Yankee Puzzle and Week 51-New York

Week 50-Grapes of Wrath and Week 52-Christmas Star

Week 32-Carolina Lily and Week 34-Rosebud

Week 53-Union Shield
It was suggested to make four of these for the quilt corners, and to complete 56 blocks rather than 53.
So I made four while the fabrics were out, just in case I decide to use them at the corners.

Several weeks ago I made Week 41-Red, White & Blue Quilt, but it turned out too small for some reason.  So I laid it aside, and this morning I painstakenly removed and replaced the blue very carefully and this is the result:

Week 41(Alternate) - Red, White & Blue Quilt

 When I went to place the block in line in the block stack, I discovered that I had already remade the block with these fabrics:  Duh!!!

Week 41-Red, White and Blue Quilt

SO---What do you think?  Which Week 41 should I use in the quilt?  (I can't believe I had already forgotten doing all those background set-in points!  It must have been easier than the blue ones today!)

After pulling out the fabrics for the two applique blocks, I immediately packed up all the Civil War fabric and put the bins on the closet shelf!  Truly out of sight and out of mind, until after Christmas!

Then I pulled out the Christmas fabric bins, plus several new fabrics I've bought this year, and the washer and dryer are getting a workout tonight!  I'm going to be doing a bit of pattern research tonight and tomorrow so I can get started on a few things next week!  After all, it's only 122 days until Christmas!  What's worse is that I shut down all sewing in 88 days!  I've got to get busy!

I'm SO-o-o-o-o glad to be past the Civil War blocks for now!  I still cannot imagine how I'll ever get them tied together!

Hope everyone has a great week, and a very special Sunday!

---"Love"

Two More Civil War Blocks

I got two more blocks finished yesterday and tonight.  The Dixie Tea (leaf) gave me a bit of trouble for some reason though it should have been very simple, but I got it done!  The next block, West Virginia, went together quickly, in spite of the mitered seam for the red and blue at the corners of the center block --- actually no trouble at all!  I think it's my favorite of all I've made so far, and it was actually fun to see it come together!  I had never made that pattern before.

Week 47 - Dixie Tea and Week 48 - West Virginia

I had to go to the eye doctor this morning, and they had planned to dilate only my left eye for a re-check after a little laser work last week, but the girl made a mistake and put drops in both eyes by mistake.  I felt sorry for her; she was so upset!   I had not expected that, so I didn't have a driver with me, which really delayed my getting away from there, even with the big, dark glasses.

As soon as I could see well enough to drive, I went on up to the quilt store where I bought the fabrics for the West Virginia block above, and then back to Hobby Lobby where I bought some Christmas fabrics.

I already had the top center green and the Christmas card at the top right, but I found just the right cream and the light green print in the center row to match what I had.  (Sorry; the picture tonight is not very good!)  The bottom right green is to go with the leftovers from the purple/green FMQ practice quilt I gave to my little friend.  I'll do something with it someday, but wanted to get that while it is still available; I had not seen it when I got the purple/green earlier.  I love the three red Christmas fabrics.  The stripe in the middle has a little gold thread woven into it.  I'm hoping the red Christmas stamps on the bottom left will work with the Christmas postcard fabric I had bought at the last quilt show.  We'll see someday maybe.

Rain is nearby and predicted for this area tonight and tomorrow; we certainly need it. 

I'm hoping everyone has a wonderful and relaxing week-end, with some quilting time too!

---"Love"

Back to the Civil War Quilt Blocks

All the red, white, and blue fabric has been packed away, and the Civil War fabrics are out, all over everything!  I decided that before I get too involved in another project, I'd best do a little catch-up on the Civil War blocks.  I've made six so far this week, and I think I still have 11 more blocks to make to finish the series.  Hopefully I'll get them all made before the end of the year!  I had to do a little ripping and re-sewing on a couple of the blocks, but they will all be okay I think; good enough for me anyway! 

Week 41 - Red, White and Blue Quilt
Week 42 - H is for Hospital



Week 43 - Right Hand of Friendship
Week 44 - Union (The center says "The Union Forever"





Week 46 - Apple Tree
Week 45 - Port and Starboard

The more of these blocks I make, the more I wonder how I will ever get them together.  So many patterns, so many colors!  The next time I begin a project like this, I hope someone reminds me to choose just a few colors and work with those only.  As I near the end of these blocks, I'm realizing I probably have enough Civil War fabrics to make at least two more!  I'm thinking something easy in 2013, like maybe a rail fence to use up the fabrics!  I love most of them, but I'm still struggling with the color mix, even though I know it's my own fault!

Earlier in the week I also did a little free motion practice, and had a good time with it though I will still need lots more practice before I'll be brave enough to try it on a real quilt.  I'm not giving up --- yet! 

GS#3 had a close call yesterday.  He and some friends went to the lake and decided, of all things, to have a mud fight --- no anger, just silly (stupid!) stuff teenage boys sometimes do!  He got hit directly in the eye with a hunk of mud that also had a rock.  DIL rushed him to the doctor who thought maybe he had suffered a torn retina, and an appointment was made for this morning with a retina specialist in the metroplex.  It was determined that the retina was not torn, thank God, but blood vessels in his eyeball were broken and some severe bruising.  Believe it or not, his eyelid nor the surrounding area are discolored at all --- just the eyeball itself.  The doctor prescribed meds and eye drops, and will see him for follow-up next week and for at least three months, maybe more.  This granny was, and still is, about frantic over the possibility of his eyesight being damaged for life!  Hopefully that will not be the case!  He told me today he is seeing fairly well. 



Hope everyone is looking forward to a great week-end, and maybe also getting a little quilting done. 

---"Love"



Baby Kisses and a Special Gift

Finally, Baby Kisses is finished, along with a pillowcase to store it, a burp rag, and a matching tightly stuffed pillow for Mom or Granddaddy (the fireman) to prop their head on while rocking the baby boy, due the week of August 20.  I'll get it delivered later this week.  The backing is the "Car" movie fabric.  I decided to quilt crosshatching in the border with turquois thread.  (Scary!)

You may remember a comment by Liri on July 2 on my quilt with the white stars, "Red, white, and blue.  Something good is in store for you."  In a few days, I received this book, and a beautiful little beaded stitchery, with a little note that says, "....but I loved the roses."  She took those words from the name of my first quilt, with pink roses.    The book is wonderful, and every page has a color picture of incredible patriotic quilts!  Some are really old, and others are from as recent as the 1980's; it was published in 1986. 

You would know I love the book, but that embroidered rose, encircled with crystal beads, is very special to me!  I took my time deciding just what to do with it, and finally found the perfect frame for it!  It was exactly the right size, with a mat offset with a little black recessed molding that gives room for the stitches and beads without them being pressed against the glass.  I got it framed today, and it will have a place of honor in my home.  I'm keeping the note and card with an explanation in the back of the frame! 

THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH, LIRI!  I LOVE IT!

After making three large patriotic quilts, The Big IF, and the Baby Kisses, without once stopping to dust, you can imagine the mess the sunroom was in.  I said WAS, because I've spent most of today cleaning every chicken and bird on the shelves, about 50 little shoes in that collection, and everything setting or hanging in the sunroom!  I had to change dust rags four times, and dust mop the floor three times in the process!  Where does all that lint and dust come from???!  It looks a lot better tonight!  Now maybe I'll just sit down and enjoy the Olympics tonight. 

I'm still undecided what to start on next, but Christmas is whirling in my brain!  In fact, I ordered two wall hanging kits from Keepsake today, and a bunch of thread and fabric from Connecting Threads!  I need to make another Baby Kisses in pink for a Christmas gift too!  Got to get it done, because all sewing stops at my home Thanksgiving week, until after New Year's!  Also I want to make myself another Big IF before I forget how I made it!  Still have to find the background fabric for that! 

Hey, I'm tired!  I'm going to go chill out ------ not a bad idea in the Texas heat!  It's awful!

Have fun and stay safe, whatever you are doing!  Hope you all are getting some quilting done!

---"Love"

Freedom's Star and Baby Kisses

Again, I've been busy, but this time at least I've been sewing more on some of my own projects.  I finally finished the top of the last patriotic quilt for this year!  It is the companion to the flag quilt I posted a few weeks back, and it is called Freedom's Star, with the same Henry Glass fabrics, and is 82" square.  I'm not sure when I'll get them quilted, but hopefully before next July 4! *giggle*  Obviously, the ceiling fan is playing tricks with that right-side border; it really is straight!

This week I've also completed a baby quilt top for the daughter of one of the firemen I worked with.  I'll probably try to quilt it by next week; the baby boy is due by the end of August.  I wanted it to have a fireman theme, but somehow had to blend it with the turquoise/aqua/tan colors the mother wanted, which was no easy task.  The only fire trucks I could find anywhere were in the "Cars" movie fabric, so I fussy cut them.  THEN I found the "Baby Kisses" panel in turquoise (Block Party calls it 'blue'!), and I just couldn't resist it!  So again, I was winging it, without a pattern or a clue where I was going!  (So what's new, right?!!)  When I dug in the closet for a batting, I found a piece that is 2 inches too narrow, so I'm going to trim down the side borders a bit to make that work for me!  Right now it is 47" x 39".  The backing will be the "Cars" movie fabric, and I'll bind it in the turquoise.  Here's how it looks tonight.

Last Thursday my new quilter friend came over for an all-day sew-in.  I didn't get much sewing done, but I was able to help her learn to miter three borders all at once, with stripes in the middle border; she did great!  Also she learned how to turn the corners on her bindings.  She was so happy, and the next day made a banana cake for me!  She cooks as good as she pieces!  Such a joy she is! 

Folks, if it is hotter in Hades than it is in Texas this week, I surely don't want to go there!  We are into that 105-108 degree series again like last year.  I hope it doesn't last as long as last year.  I've been chasing the water sprinkler around the yard the last few days, and that's no fun, but it is necessary! 

Hope everyone is staying cool, and getting lots of quilting done! 

One more thing:  How 'bout those Americans at the Olympics?!!!!  Go, USA!  I've loved watching every day and night!

---"Love"