August 30, 2008 - Bean bags

Bean bags for my friend's school. I used old jeans and used poly pellets to fill them.


Wyler, depressed and hanging out with the shoes, because I have spent the whole day baking and sewing. He'll get a long walk tonight when it is cooler.

August 28, 2008 - Makeup organizer

My daughter asked if I could make a roll-up organizer for all her makeup. She chose the colors and I made up the pattern. It isn't perfect, some of the batting sticks out the edges of the fabric pockets. But it will do.

I am not planning to go into business making these things. It was tough to stitch the pockets on, going through 4 layers of fabric and 2 layers of batting. Plus, where the red edging is at the top of each pocket, it's a total of 8 layers of fabric.

But, she leaves for school on Sunday and it is ready to go!

The top photo is kind of washed out. The fabric is true black.

Pot holders

I gave up on trying to crochet the pot holders my grandma used to make. I am starting a new tradition--I am knitting pot holders!

First I tried knitting with crochet thread and they weren't dense enough.

Then my sister sent me the link to a JoAnn's ad and pattern using Sugar 'n Cream cotton yarn.

That worked out great.

So far I have made 2. I just used them to remove a pan of rolls from the oven. : )

August 28, 2008 - what I've been up to

It's August, so that means time to help the kids get ready to go back to school. Let's see, I've been doing this for 19 years now!

The kids and I had a fun trip to Ikea Thursday. Friday we rented a truck to move their furniture and some of their belongings to their new apartments. They are in the same building, one floor apart. It's just the second year the building is open so the apartments are quite nice. New management company this year, so we'll see what happens.

The furniture stayed in Madison, but the kids didn't. Kristin is working as many shifts as she can before leaving and Daniel had one more day of work and they both have eye appointments. So it has been pretty wild around here. They leave for the semester on Sunday. Sad : (

I have been crafting a quilted makeup organizer for Kristin. No pattern, I just am flying by the seat of my pants. So the Ohio Star quilt is on the back burner once again.

The garden is thriving and we so enjoy the beauty of it. I am trying to savor the warm days and beautiful colors because we all know fall is coming and winter isn't far behind.

I'll post a photo of the makeup organizer when it's finished. I am really enjoying the new sewing machine and have my first sewing machine lesson next Thursday.

August 12, 2008 - 72 quarter square triangles

This is what I have been working on since Friday--the final 72 QSTs needed for the Ohio Star quilt.

I've given up on doing the Jewel Box quilt as leader/enders because I found I was spending more time on that quilt than the Ohio Star. So the Jewel Box has been set to the side to be worked on after finishing the Ohio Star.

This is a picture of my birthday present : ) A new Babylock Grace machine! They are due to come in on Thursday. My husband said it's time to get into the 21st century.

August 9, 2008 - Quilt Camp

My friend's daughter came over Thursday morning for a tutorial on bindings. She is just beginning to quilt and nearly ready to bind her first baby quilt.

I put together this Prairie Paisley long place mat or short table runner, whatever, for her to do the binding. It was her first time sewing on a machine. She has been piecing by hand, very impressive! Then we went to the local sewing machine shop to look at machines for her. Now we are both dreaming of a Baby Lock Grace model.

It was lots of fun to spend the morning together and so fun to share my love of quilting : )

August 1, 2008 - Wildflower Serenade

I didn't think I could like a fabric collection any more than I do Prairie Paisley, but now there is Wildflower Serenade.

I bought a layer cake of it (for my non-quilting friends--10" squares of each of the fabrics in the collection) and now I have ordered yardage of the 8 fabrics shown. I am planning to make Opening Day from Miss Rosie's Quilting Co.

Still working on the Ohio Star quilt for my husband. Must.finish.it.soon.